Aryna Sabalenka v Elena Rybakina: US Open 2026 womens singles final – live

So congratulations to Rybakina, who played a superb match, maintaining her focus to get over the line having secured the world No 1 ranking for the first time a few days ago, and maintaining her composure to play a near-perfect third set against Sabalenka after losing the second. Rybakina just didn't let Sabalenka settle, pushing the departing No 1 back with her power – and it's not often we say that. I don't think it was nerves from Sabalenka, I think Rybakina was just too good. When Rybakina's playing at her peak, no one can live with her right now on a hard court, so it's back to the drawing board for Sabalenka, as she reflects on a first season since 2022 without a slam title and how she can come back stronger. After all, that's what rivalries are all about, pushing each other to continually improve. Many thanks for reading today and do join us again tomorrow for Alexander Zverev v Ben Shelton. Bye!

Now Rybakina is in the Sky Sports studio, talking about the achilles injury she had in the build-up to the tournament, and how she can't believe she's now here, holding the trophy.

Navratilova asks her about the No 1 ranking. “I knew in my head I still had two matches [to win the title after securing the top spot], so I was focused, trying not to look at too many messages, putting it to the side,†she replies.

And Laura Robson wants to know how Rybakina reasserted her authority in the third set: “It changed really quickly, in the third set I was telling myself if I have an opportunity I need to step in and risk it.â€

As for winning her third slam, she says: “It's three grand slams at different places and I just need to push more and I feel all my goals will be achieved and it'll be pure joy. I want to push for more.†This is as excited and happy as I've ever heard her; it's wonderful to see her showing more of herself. And now she's showing off the trophy to all the fans who are next to the studio, before she walks off into the New York night.

“I think she's going to win many, many more slams,†says Robson. “I don't see when her serve and return are on – like they were today – how anyone can beat her on a hard court.â€

Even when long established as a grand slam champion and a conqueror of all surfaces, Elena Rybakina was always considered lesser than the most successful players of her era. She was one of the most devastating shotmakers in the world, a threat to everybody everywhere, but there were always a couple of more consistent and mentally tougher players above her.

She leaves New York, finally, as the undisputed best tennis player on the planet, the new standard bearer of women's tennis, after following up her snatching of the No 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka by succeeding her as the US Open champion. As she has done throughout this unforgettable week, the Kazakhstani showed her toughness in another spectacular tussle with her great rival, closing out her time at Flushing Meadows with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Sabalenka, the top seed and two-time defending champion.

Before the final, Rybakina had not really played her best tennis this year in New York, but the whole title run stands as the greatest mental performance of her career. She has had to overcome an achilles injury that sidelined her for a week before the tournament and left her uncertain if she would even compete. There was also the potentially suffocating pressure of trying to clinch the world No 1 ranking while being reminded of the exact results required of her to do so. She faced four consecutive grand slam or Olympic champions in the second week of the tournament. She cleared every hurdle without hesitation.

Her trials throughout the past two weeks imbued her with the confidence to play such an assured match against her biggest rival to close out the week. Here, the 27-year-old began the match with her serve, the most important shot in her arsenal, completely misfiring, yet she still showed off the breadth of her game by completely dominating an increasingly dishevelled Sabalenka off the ground. When the Belarusian fought her way back into the match, overturning the momentum and forcing a final set, Rybakina immediately reset, saving her best tennis for the most important stretch.

In addition to taking Sabalenka's No 1 ranking, Rybakina has now also taken her status as the best hard-court player in the world. She now holds the three biggest hard-court titles: the Australian Open, the US Open and the WTA Finals. She joins figures such as Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, Ash Barty, Angelique Kerber and Virginia Wade as three-time grand slam champions. Having previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and the 2026 Australian Open, Rybakina is suddenly a French Open away from completing the career grand slam.

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This victory means Rybakina has now won three of the four grand slams: Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open and US Open this year. The French Open is now the only one missing from her CV.

Rybakina's smile gets a little bigger when she's presented with a winner's cheque of $5.5m. And now comes the trophy, presented by Sharapova, and Rybakina holds it aloft for the first time as the fireworks go off behind her, having already produced so many on court in a final of pure firepower.

And here's the new champ. “It's tough to find words right now, I didn't expect nothing like this coming to this tournament,†Rybakina says, sounding a little more animated than usual, but still relatively calm given she's just won the US Open. “I was dealing with injury [before the tournament], but everything aligned together on my side. Aryna you're a great champion, you push me to such limits. It's just incredible, I'm falling in love with New York more and more. This atmosphere is just unbelievable and doesn't feel real right now.â€

Mary Carillo, who's hosting the trophy presentation, declares “this is the best rivalry in women's tennis – that was specialâ€, before asking Sabalenka to speak first. “The last thing I want to do right now is give a speech, but I'll try my best,†she says, fighting back tears. “Obviously I'm disappointed but I want to congratulate Elena on an incredible year, incredible result, enjoy it, have fun tonight, tomorrow and until the end of the season so I can win some titles! Thank you! I wish I could have performed a bit better, but I guess next year,†she adds, her voice trembling, despite having managed to make that joke.

“Looking at the state of Sabalenka's racket after the match, it's clear that this tournament has been a smashing success,†parps Peter Oh. Sabalenka has left her chair, and is instead sitting courtside with her coaching team and fiance, and she looks absolutely sick to her stomach. None of them are saying a word.

Maria Sharapova, who won the US Open title 20 years ago, is on court congratulating Rybakina, when she comes back from celebrating with her team. Sharapova will be handing the trophy to her shortly too.

At 30-all on Sabalenka's serve, the service box is shrinking for Sabalenka as she double faults. And my computer freezes, such is the drama. When it recovers, Rybakina has broken from deuce and is serving for the title at 5-2, 30-0, having lost only one point on serve in this deciding set.

Much like the first set, it's been near-perfect from Rybakina … so, not on cue, she double faults. 30-15 … 40-15 … two championship points … another double … but Rybakina, fittingly given her domination in her service games today, secures her first US Open title with an ace! Having already seized the world No 1 ranking from Sabalenka, Rybakina has rubbed salt into her wounds by taking her US Open title! It's Rybakina's first in New York, her third grand slam overall, and having beaten Sabalenka in this year's Australian Open final too, she's now the undisputed best player on hard courts. Sabalenka smashes her racket into pieces; she'll end the season without a slam for the first time since 2022.

Third set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 7-5, 2-4 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

Sabalenka stops the run of three games against her with a hold to 30, but she can't do any damage on Rybakina's serve, as it goes by in a 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game Rybakina blur. Sabalanka has played 17 more points on her serve than Rybakina during this final, such is the effort she's having to make to hold compared with the player who's about to depose her as the world No 1 … and as the US Open champion too, unless she can find a way to break soon.

Third set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 7-5, 1-3 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

At 15-all, Sabalenka is making so much noise during the point, such is the effort she's having to make – but it's still not enough as Rybakina finishes Sabalenka off with a drop-shot/volley combo. And then backs up that prolonged point with a 10th ace. 40-15. The crowd think she's hit another on game point but it's out. The second serve lands, though, and Sabalenka concedes the point when she blazes into the tramlines. Rybakina has backed up the break and Sabalenka lifts her racket above her head, as if it's a resistance band and she's trying to stretch out any tension. Despite snatching that second set, it hasn't taken long for her to look agitated again. As for Rybakina … you wouldn't know if she was in the opening game or about to win the title. Her face is betraying little emotion.

Rybakina breaks: Sabalenka 4-6, 7-5, 1-2 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

So this third set has started as the first and second did, with Rybakina piling on the pressure on Sabalenka's serve and whizzing through her own, and a punchy return brings up 15-30. A rare rally of nine shots follows, Sabalenka the aggressor and Rybakina producing some superb defence, and Rybakina's defence wins out. 15-40, two break points. Sabalenka pulls off a one-two punch straight out of the coach's textbook on the first, can't quite do the same on the second … and she goes on to whack beyond the baseline! Rybakina strikes first in this decider. We only had one break of serve in each of the opening two sets – could this break prove decisive too?

Third set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 7-5, 1-1 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

… before Rybakina eases through serve with the minimum of fuss: 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game.

Third set: Sabalenka 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

So for the 11th time in their 18 matches, this one is going the distance. Their rivalry really is turning into one that could define the current era. Sabalenka surged back from a set down to win their 2023 Australian Open final 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 … while Rybakina won this year's Australian Open final after coming from 3-0 behind in the deciding set to prevail 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. How this grand slam final trilogy will play out now is anyone's guess. Yes, the momentum is with Sabalenka – but I still feel if Rybakina plays to her absolute best and can hold her nerve (which she didn't at the end of the second set), this is hers for the taking. She's pushing hard in the opening game of the decider, getting to advantage on Sabalenka's serve, but Sabalenka saves it and blasts her way through the next two points to hold.

Total points won in the first two sets: Rybakina 71 Sabalenka 71.

“Hi Katy, is it just me or is this an awful match?†asks Drew Whitehead. “Very few rallies or variety of shot. It's consistently coming down to who can hit a shot with decent depth and the other player not having an answer. Rybakina making fewer errors so will probably win but its hardly memorable stuff.†You're never going to get too many prolonged rallies with these two – it's all or nothing on most points – but, for me, the power of the hitting can still take the breath away. And then just to show us she does have variety too, Sabalenka conjures up a wonderful drop shot on her way to deuce. Will it be game point or set point? Set point, when Rybakina blinks with an edgy, edgy forehand! So it's a third SP to add to the two Sabalenka had at 5-4 … and Sabalenka bludgeons a backhand return down the line! Somehow, having been second best for much of this match, Sabalenka has taken this to a third set!

Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 6-5 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

At 30-all on Sabalenka's serve, Rybakina has her opponent there for the taking … but her backhand slumps into the net. A let-off for Sabalenka. But Rybakina isn't feeling so charitable at 40-30, and strikes a vicious forehand deep to Sabalenka's right. Deuce. Advantage Sabalenka. Most of the 24,000-strong crowd are urging Sabalenka on – they want another set of this – but they're gasping when Sabalenka thwacks into the net. And in raptures when she lands a HUGE serve. Advantage Sabalenka. Game Sabalenka as, with a strike of lightning, she nervelessly dispatches an overhead. She's got herself at least a tie-break and credit to her for the way she's stayed with Rybakina in this second set after Rybakina's first-set dominance.

Second set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 5-5 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

There's some apprehension on the second point as Rybakina double faults … before spraying a wild forehand! 15-30. Well, well. Sabalenka is two points from winning the set. And Sablanka produces perhaps her best shot of the match with a bullet of a backhand return winner at full stretch! 15-40 … not only two break points (her first of the final), but two set points. Now it's Sabalenka's turn to spray a forehand, so the first SP has gone … and the second vanishes too, when Sabalenka goes all-out on her return and just misses. A wry smile from Sabalenka. But she's bashing the ball in anger when she can't cope with Rybakina's depth of shot at deuce. And Rybakina completes her escape act with a one-two punch! This set is reaching some climax.

Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 5-4 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

Having won 23 of her past 24 tie-breaks at grand slam level (including two against the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in their quarter-final), perhaps Sabalenka thinks her best chance will be to get this set to 6-6 and hopefully take it on the breaker. And she moves a game closer to that, with a second successive hold to love. Her forehand looks steadier, as does her mind, and perhaps Rybakina will start to feel a little tension, knowing she must hold to stay in the second. She hasn't shown any of that so far in this final, though. She's been unflinching.

Second set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 4-4 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

But Sabalenka has steadied herself somewhat in this set, and claims a welcome hold to love, to maintain the scoreboard pressure. Maybe that'll give her a bit more energy to push on Rybakina's serve … but the soon-to-be world No 1 glides to 40-15. Sabalenka pulls off an unlikely winner on the run, despite losing her balance, but that's as good as it gets for her, as Rybakina holds to 30.

Second set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 3-3 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

It seems she can at 15-all, when Rybakina hits an inviting ball in the air … it's ready to be crunched down … but Sabalenka gets her backhand drive volley all wrong. And hangs her head in despair. So it's 30-15 … and in the blink of an eye game. Navratilova is discussing whether Sabalenka's nerves have been a problem so far, or if it's more the quality of Rybakina's play, and she reckons the latter, as do I. Yes, Sabalenka has beaten Rybakina more times than Rybakina has beaten her, leading the head-to-head 10-7, but when Rybakina is fully fit and firing, playing at her absolute best, I'm not sure anyone can live with her – Sabalenka included.

Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 3-2 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

A rare smile from Sabalenka as she comes out on top in a game of cat and mouse for 40-15. She backs that up with a winning drop shot and that's her most comfortable hold in about 30 minutes. That will have erased some of her frustrations … but can she build on it?

Second set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 2-2 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

“She's got such easy power, she reminds me of Lindsay Davenport,†notes Navratilova, as Rybakina advances to 30-15 – and very quickly 40-15. And a fourth ace secures the game. Yes she's got such effortless power, it almost looks as if she's not trying. Though she most certainly is. Making Sabalenka look so panicked and rushed is no easy feat.

Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 2-1 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

Fault lines are appearing on Sabalenka's side of the court again at 30-all, as she batters a backhand into the net, her footwork off, handing Rybakina a break point. But Rybakina's return loops long. Deuce. Sabalenka tries to take matters into her own hands on the next point, charging to the net, but Rybakina rips an attempted pass, and while Sabalenka gets her racket to it (just), she can't get the ball back into play! Advantage Rybakina, a second BP. She shows immense courage under Rybakina's fire to save it. And, buoyed by that, Sabalenka holds. She's roaring and fist-pumping, and only time will tell how crucial that hold turns out to be. Rybakina is now only 1/7 on break points.

Second set: Sabalenka* 4-6, 1-1 Rybakina (*denotes next server)

That was only the second set Sabalenka has conceded this tournament – the other was in her quarter-final against the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova – but Sabalenka will, at least, remind herself that she came from a set down to win the 2023 Australian Open final against Rybakina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. And she's down, quite literally, in this game, as she loses her footing at 40-30, which allows Rybakina to secure the hold.

Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 1-0 Rybakina* (*denotes next server)

Sabalenka leaves the court briefly before the second set starts, and she'll be desperately hoping that Rybakina can't maintain this level for another set. It appears that way as an errant forehand from Rybakina helps Sabalenka to 40-15 on serve, but another beautiful backhand strike from Rybakina and it's 40-30. Sabalenka edges through from there.

The most surprising stat from that set, given how impressive Rybakina was, is that she landed only 28% (!) of first serves. But she did win 88% of those points – and crucially 64% of points on Sabalenka's second serve. And Sabalenka hasn't been able to keep up with the pace of Rybakina's groundstrokes; she's being rushed and overpowered, especially on Rybakina's backhand.

An inauspicious start from Rybakina as she slips 0-15 down … but Sabalenka snatches at her backhand return on the second point and it's 15-all. Rybakina then shows Sabalenka how it's done on the backhand with a huge hit for 30-15 … but perhaps there are a few nerves as she double faults! She can't land her first serve on the next point either … does her second .. Sabalenka gets the ball into play … but then inexplicably nets a forehand on her next shot! She's not only fighting her opponent but the ball right now. So Rybakina has set point at 40-30 … and Sabalenka slams an inside-in forehand into the corner to save it! After so many short, sharp points, the longest rally of the match plays out at nine shots, and Rybakina nails a backhand winner. Set point No 2. Rybakina is well on top … sending a desperate Sabalenka this way and that … and Sabalenka eventually decides she's had enough and hits long! That was a lights-out set by Rybakina, but, in true Rybakina style, she barely celebrates.