Elena Rybakina has won her first US Open title after defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Rybakina, who will become world number one on Monday, won 6-4 5-7 6-2 in two hours and 23 minutes to end Sabalenka's hopes of achieving a three-peat at Flushing Meadows.

Sabalenka was put under pressure early on, saving three break points in the third game, and Rybakina's persistence soon paid off as she converted a break point two games later.

The 27-year-old won the first set with her second set point, but failed to capitalise on two early break points in the second.

And Sabalenka would make the most of the reprieve, forcing a decider after a crucial break in the 12th game, which saw her avoid a tie-break.

The Belarusian then saved a break point in the opening game of the third, only for Rybakina to break ahead in the third game.

She would not look back from there on, converting another break point in the seventh game with a clinical volley, and then securing the title with her second championship point.

3 - Elena Rybakina has claimed a third career Grand Slam title - Rybakina is one of three players to claim 3+ Grand Slam titles since the start of the decade, along with Iga Swiatek (6) and Aryna Sabalenka (4). Trio.#USOpen | @usopen @WTA pic.twitter.com/L5XbQJH8HF

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) September 12, 2026

Rybakina denies Sabalenka again

Rybakina ends the grand slam season the same way she started it, defeating Sabalenka on hard court to win a major (also winning the Australian Open).

Since the WTA rankings were first published in 1975, Rybakina is just the second player to defeat the world number one in multiple grand slam finals in a season, after Steffi Graf (Roland Garros and US Open) in 1995.

Rybakina has claimed a third career grand slam title - she is one of three players to claim 3+ major titles since the start of the decade, along with Iga Swiatek (six) and Aryna Sabalenka (four).

She manages to tick the US Open off her list, with the French Open title now standing between her and a career Grand Slam.

Meanwhile, it is back to the drawing board for Sabalenka, who will end 2026 without a grand slam title to her name.