Sabalenka and Rybakina Set for US Open Final

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will meet in the US Open women's singles final on Saturday, with the top two seeds battling for the championship at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

The final is scheduled for 4pm local time on Saturday, September 12, or 20:00 GMT.

For Sabalenka, the match represents an opportunity to make tennis history by becoming only the third woman to win three consecutive US Open singles titles.

The Belarusian is the defending champion after winning in New York in 2024 and 2025, and is seeking her fifth Grand Slam crown.

Rybakina, meanwhile, enters the final as the soon-to-be world No. 1 after ending Sabalenka's 99-week run at the top of the rankings.

Sabalenka powers past Pegula

Sabalenka booked her place in the final with a commanding 7-5, 6-2 victory over American third seed Jessica Pegula.

The 28-year-old controlled the match with her powerful groundstrokes and maintained her push for a third consecutive US Open championship.

The victory also secured Sabalenka's fourth straight appearance in a US Open final.

She said she had been determined to reach the championship match and was prepared to do whatever was necessary to win the title.

Rybakina then produced a determined comeback in the second semifinal, overcoming 2023 champion Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The Kazakh player recovered after losing the opening set and held her composure to defeat Gauff in front of a partisan New York crowd.

Rybakina holds the Grand Slam advantage

Sabalenka and Rybakina have already faced each other three times during 2026.

Sabalenka won their meetings in the Miami semifinal and Indian Wells final, but Rybakina claimed the most significant victory of the year when she defeated Sabalenka to win the Australian Open title in January.

Saturday's final will be their 18th career meeting, with Sabalenka holding a 10-7 advantage.

It will also be another Grand Slam showdown between two players who have established themselves among the leading figures in women's tennis.

Rybakina refuses to add pressure

Rybakina will contest her first US Open final but said she does not intend to place additional pressure on herself because of the occasion or her ranking battle with Sabalenka.

The 27-year-old said the final would provide another opportunity to test herself against a player who consistently pushes her to the limit.

Rybakina also pointed to the benefits of repeatedly facing a high-level opponent, saying such matches reveal the areas of her game that require further improvement.

She will need to produce another composed performance against Sabalenka, particularly after showing her ability to remain calm under pressure during her comeback against Gauff.

Sabalenka expecting a tough battle

Sabalenka enters the final with considerable confidence after producing some of her best tennis of the tournament against Pegula.

She has lost just one set on her way to the championship match and appears to have found her strongest form at the most important stage of the tournament.

The Belarusian knows Rybakina presents a major challenge, particularly because of her powerful serve and improved baseline game.

Sabalenka expects the contest to be demanding both physically and mentally as the two leading seeds meet for another Grand Slam title.

Sabalenka chasing history

Sabalenka has won four Grand Slam singles titles, including Australian Open championships in 2023 and 2024 and US Open titles in 2024 and 2025.

A victory on Saturday would give her a fifth major title and make her only the third woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive US Open championships.

Serena Williams was the most recent player to achieve the feat, winning three straight titles from 2012 to 2014.

Chris Evert also won three consecutive US Open titles between 1976 and 1978.

Rybakina seeking third major title

Rybakina has two Grand Slam championships to her name.

She won her first major at Wimbledon in 2022 before adding the Australian Open title in 2026.

A victory over Sabalenka in New York would give her a third Grand Slam crown and further cement her position at the top of the women's game.

$5.5 million awaits the champion

The winner of the US Open women's singles final will receive $5.5 million in prize money.

The runner-up will collect $2.8 million.

The tournament is offering a total prize pool of $108 million across the 2026 edition.

Where to watch the US Open final

The final will be broadcast and streamed internationally through the tournament's official broadcast partners.

In the United States, coverage is provided by ESPN, while Sky Sports holds the rights in the United Kingdom.

Viewers in India can watch through JioHotstar, while SuperSport is the broadcaster in South Africa.

International viewers can check their regional broadcaster through the official US Open television listings.