Rybakina After US Open Triumph: "I'm Starting to Love New York"

Elena Rybakina has won the dream final of the US Open.

She defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6:4, 5:7, 6:2 on Saturday, celebrating the third Grand Slam title of her career (to the match report >>>).

Moments after her triumph, the 27-year-old was initially speechless.

"It's hard for me to find the right words," Rybakina said in her winner's interview on court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Before the tournament, she had been struggling with an injury.

Her joy over the title in New York is all the greater. "I'm starting to love New York more and more; this tournament will remain an unforgettable experience for me," emphasized the Kazakh.

Rybakina Makes History in New York

The triumph is also special for Rybakina because she had never advanced past the round of 16 in her previous US Open appearances. This year, she achieved the big coup in New York.

The atmosphere at Arthur Ashe Stadium was "incredible". The new world number one also had words of praise for her final opponent. Sabalenka had pushed her "to the limit" in the final.

This is already Rybakina's second Grand Slam triumph this year. She had already prevailed over Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open.

Sabalenka Congratulates

After two consecutive titles in New York, Sabalenka had to settle for the role of the congratulator. Nevertheless, the Belarusian found conciliatory words for her opponent after the lost final.

She congratulated Rybakina on an "incredible year" and described her triumph as a "completely deserved success."

For Rybakina, this victory is already the third Grand Slam title of her career, following Wimbledon 2022 and the Australian Open 2026.

She also makes tennis history: For the first time, the Kazakh takes the number one spot in the WTA world rankings, replacing Sabalenka at the top.