Rybakina beats Sabalenka 2-1 to win US Open title

Elena Rybakina proved herself to be the undisputed world number one after claiming her first US Open title.

The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan knew she would be top of the rankings from Monday, overtaking her opponent Aryna Sabalenka, whatever the outcome of Saturday’s final.

A defeat would have certainly taken the shine off that achievement, but instead she was crowned the new queen of Queens at Flushing Meadows after a 6-4 5-7 6-2 victory.

Two-time defending champion Sabalenka was looking to become only the third woman to achieve a New York ‘three-peat’ in the Open era, after Chris Evert and Serena Williams.

Instead she was left sat in her chair, furiously smashing her racket in to smithereens as Rybakina celebrated a third Grand Slam title.

“I honestly was coming here for the last 10 years and it was never successful, nothing close to that and it’s just incredible,” she said.