New York, September 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aryna Sabalenka’s bid for a historic third consecutive US Open title ended in frustration on Sunday as Elena Rybakina defeated her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final, prompting the Belarusian to smash her racquet and later yell at a cameraman.
Moments after Rybakina sealed the championship with the winning point, broadcast cameras followed the new champion as she acknowledged the crowd before turning to Sabalenka, who was seated on the bench. Sabalenka smashed her racquet against the court and tossed it aside.
She later yelled at a cameraperson who was attempting to capture her emotions following the defeat.
Rybakina’s victory not only denied Sabalenka a third straight US Open crown but also ended her reign at the top of the WTA rankings. Rybakina will become world No. 1 on Monday, replacing Sabalenka, who had held the top position for 99 consecutive weeks.
Sabalenka acknowledged that Rybakina was the better player on the day.
“I’m obviously not really happy with the level I played today, but she served incredible. She played really aggressive, great tennis. Yeah, she was simply a better player today than me,” Sabalenka told reporters.
Asked whether dropping to No. 2 could free her from the pressure of being the top-ranked player, Sabalenka said every player carries a target regardless of ranking.
She also jokingly challenged Rybakina to surpass her 99-week reign at No. 1, saying that if the Kazakh continued playing at her current level, “I’m in trouble.”
Rybakina’s rise marks the end of Sabalenka’s second stint as world No. 1. Her first reign lasted eight weeks in 2023.
The defeat also meant Sabalenka finished a Grand Slam season without a title for the first time since 2022. It ended her run of winning at least one major every year since 2023, when she captured her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open by defeating Rybakina in the final.
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