Sabalenka finishes major season without a title after US Open final defeat

Aryna Sabalenka has finished the 2026 Grand Slam season without a singles title after Elena Rybakina defeated her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in Saturday's US Open final. According to BBC Sport, the result ended Sabalenka's 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows and prevented the two-time defending champion from claiming a third successive title in New York.

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The defeat accompanied a change at the top of the rankings. Rybakina had already secured the world number one position regardless of the final's outcome, ending Sabalenka's 99-week spell at the summit. The Kazakhstan player collected her first US Open trophy and third major singles title, adding to Wimbledon in 2022 and this year's Australian Open.

Sabalenka recovered from losing the opening set to force a decider, converting her third opportunity to take the second set in its 12th game. Rybakina then broke for a 2-1 lead in the third and went on to finish the match with an ace, having double-faulted on her first championship point. BBC's match report described Rybakina's return of serve as a persistent source of pressure on Sabalenka.

Afterwards, Sabalenka said the disappointment of losing a major final while pursuing three consecutive titles made her emotions difficult to manage. She smashed a racquet after the match and explained that she wanted to release her frustration rather than keep it inside. In her post-match remarks reported by the BBC, she also praised Rybakina and acknowledged that she had hoped to perform better.

The result left Sabalenka with four victories from nine Grand Slam singles finals; all five defeats have come in three sets. Rybakina also beat her in this season's Australian Open final. Sabalenka subsequently lost to Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarter-finals after leading by a set and 4-1, before Naomi Osaka eliminated her in Wimbledon's fourth round. It is her first year without a major title since 2022.

Away from the majors, Sabalenka has won three WTA titles this season, in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami. Despite the disappointment in New York, she said there were positives to take from her level of play at the tournament. She described the season's setbacks as lessons and said they would motivate her efforts to improve next year.