Arthur Ashe Stadium: Elena Rybakina said her maiden US Open title ranks among the biggest moments of her career after she defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Rybakina, who also defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this year, completed a memorable Grand Slam season with her third Major title and moved to the top of the WTA rankings. The Kazakh also became the third player since 2000, after Angelique Kerber in 2016 and Sabalenka in 2024, to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same season.
“I would put this moment right at the top. So many things have happened in the past couple of weeks. Becoming the number one ranked player and now lifting this US Open trophy,” Rybakina told Jio Star.
“I have been coming to this tournament for so many years, and it was never a successful Grand Slam for me. Now things have changed, and it is just amazing. This one means a lot to me,” she added.
Rybakina’s achievement was particularly significant given the physical problems she faced before and during the tournament. She had been unable to practise for seven days before the start of the US Open because of her foot issue and needed to carefully manage her preparation.
She revealed that the difficult period tested her patience but credited her team for helping her remain focused.
“It has been very difficult. I could not practise, and I had to watch everyone else hitting and preparing for the tournament while I was sidelined. I spent almost three hours in the gym every day doing recovery exercises,” she said.
“It was not easy, but I knew I had to stay patient and trust the process. My team kept me motivated, and I kept telling myself that all this hard work would pay off. To be standing here with the trophy makes every difficult moment worth it,” she added.
Rybakina admitted she was unsure about how her body would respond during the opening rounds and had to make several adjustments as the tournament progressed.
“In the first few matches, I wasn’t sure how my foot would hold up or how I would feel on court. We made a lot of adjustments as well, so I wasn’t feeling comfortable at the start,” she said.
“But somehow, each day, I found a way to get through. We found a way as a team. I’m super proud of that. It shows how important it is to keep fighting even when things aren’t perfect. You just take it one match at a time and find solutions. I’m really happy with how it all worked out,” she added.
“In the first few matches, I wasn’t sure how my foot would hold up or how I would feel on court. We made a lot of adjustments as well, so I wasn’t feeling comfortable at the start,” she said.
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Her win also ended Sabalenka’s 99-week hold on the No. 1 ranking. Rybakina’s latest victory improved her record against the Belarusian to 8-10, with her last three wins in the rivalry coming in the WTA Finals championship match last year, the Australian Open final and now the US Open final.