NEW YORK — Aryna Sabalenka came to the US Open chasing a place alongside two of women’s tennis’ greatest legends.
Instead, her historic three-peat bid ended in heartbreak—and a highly emotional meltdown that showed just how much the moment meant to her.
The two-time defending champion fell to Elena Rybakina, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, in Saturday’s US Open women’s singles final, ending Sabalenka’s bid to become only the third woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive US Open singles titles.
Rybakina, meanwhile, completed one of the biggest victories of her career, capturing her first US Open championship and third Grand Slam title. She had previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier in 2026—where she also defeated Sabalenka in the final.
Sabalenka’s frustration boiled over
The final became as much a mental battle as a physical one.
After dropping her serve in the first set, Sabalenka angrily launched a ball into the stands and received a code violation. Her frustration continued throughout the match as she struggled to control her emotions and committed 35 unforced errors.
She recovered in the second set, fighting back to force a decider and briefly appearing to regain control of the match.
But Rybakina refused to panic.
The Kazakh player remained composed, broke Sabalenka early in the third set and steadily pulled away. Sabalenka was unable to mount another comeback as Rybakina closed out the championship in two hours and 21 minutes.
When the match was finally over, Sabalenka’s frustration reached another level.
She smashed her racket, bringing a dramatic end to a final in which the pressure of history appeared to weigh heavily on the four-time Grand Slam champion.
Sabalenka later explained that she needed to release the aggression and disappointment she was feeling.
“It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for three-peat,” she said, according to reports from the Associated Press.
The pressure of making history
Sabalenka was attempting to accomplish something that has been extraordinarily rare in the modern era.
Only Chris Evert and Serena Williams had previously won three consecutive US Open women’s singles titles in the Open Era. Sabalenka was therefore bidding to become just the third woman to achieve the feat.
She had already reached the US Open final in four consecutive years, a feat not achieved by a woman since Serena Williams made four straight finals from 2011 through 2014.
The stakes were even higher because Sabalenka arrived in New York without a Grand Slam title in 2026.
Despite winning major tournaments in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami, she had fallen short at the other Grand Slams. A victory in New York would have transformed an otherwise frustrating season into another historic campaign.
Instead, she leaves the tournament without a major trophy.
Rybakina takes over the throne
For Rybakina, the victory represented far more than simply denying Sabalenka the three-peat.
The 27-year-old Kazakh also officially became the new world No. 1, ending Sabalenka’s remarkable 99-week reign at the top of the WTA rankings.
The contrast between the two players was striking.
Sabalenka relied on her trademark aggression and explosive power, but her frustration increasingly became a factor as the final progressed.
Rybakina stayed remarkably calm.
She absorbed Sabalenka’s power, returned aggressively and waited for opportunities. According to the Associated Press, she converted three of 12 break points while continually putting pressure on Sabalenka’s serve and forcing her opponent into difficult situations.
Her victory also continued a growing rivalry between two of the most powerful players in women’s tennis.
The official US Open preview noted that Sabalenka entered the final with a 10-7 career advantage over Rybakina, although their hard-court meetings were tied at 7-7.
Sabalenka’s US Open dominance finally ends
The defeat also snapped Sabalenka’s remarkable run in New York.
She entered the final having won 19 consecutive US Open matches, while seeking a third straight championship after victories in 2024 and 2025.
Her loss means the three-peat remains one of the most elusive achievements in women’s tennis.
Seven women had previously won the US Open twice in a row during the Open Era but failed to win a third consecutive championship, including legends such as Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Venus Williams.
Sabalenka came closer than most.
But on the biggest stage, Rybakina proved to be the stronger player.
“I’ll come back stronger”
Despite the disappointment, Sabalenka did not blame Rybakina or attempt to diminish her opponent’s achievement.
Instead, she acknowledged that she had not produced the level of tennis she wanted in the final.
“I wish I could perform a little bit better,” Sabalenka said after the match, while also pointing toward the lessons she could take from the tournament.
She also credited the New York crowd for the support she received during the final, saying that at one point she felt as if she were “American” because of the way the spectators rallied behind her.
For now, the history books will record Rybakina as the champion and Sabalenka as the player who fell one victory short of a rare three-peat.
But Sabalenka’s career is far from over.
At 28, she remains one of the dominant forces in women’s tennis—and her latest defeat could become another chapter in the rivalry that is rapidly defining the next era of the sport.
The question now is no longer whether Sabalenka can win another Grand Slam.
It is whether this painful night in New York will fuel her next one.
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