Rybakina repeats Graf and Azarenka feats after US Open-2026 victory

By winning the US Open-2026, Elena Rybakina achieved two rare statistical feats. After the final against Aryna Sabalenka, she joined the ranks of Steffi Graf and Victoria Azarenka. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

According to OptaAce, Rybakina became only the second female tennis player since the introduction of the WTA ranking in 1975 to defeat the reigning world No. 1 twice in Grand Slam finals in a single season.

Both times, the Kazakhstani player's opponent was Sabalenka. In January, Rybakina beat the world No. 1 in the Australian Open-2026 final – 6:4, 4:6, 6:4. Now she has again defeated the Belarusian in the decisive match of a major – at the US Open-2026.

Before Rybakina, only Steffi Graf achieved this in 1995. At Roland Garros, the German defeated Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who at the time topped the world ranking. After this victory, Graf herself returned to the No. 1 spot.

At the US Open that same year, Graf defeated American Monica Seles in the final. After returning to the tour, Seles received co-world No. 1 status with Graf, so the decisive match in New York was also played between two players ranked No. 1.

Thus, 31 years later, Rybakina became the second representative of the women's tour to win a Grand Slam final twice in one calendar season against the reigning ranking leader.

Another achievement is directly related to Rybakina's path to the title in New York.

In the semifinal, the Kazakhstani defeated US Open-2023 champion Coco Gauff – 3:6, 6:4, 6:4. In the final, her opponent was Sabalenka, the winner of the two previous editions of the tournament. Thus, Rybakina defeated two former champions of the same major in succession at the semifinal and final stages.

According to OptaAce, in women's singles, such a feat had not occurred since the Australian Open-2012. Back then, Victoria Azarenka defeated the reigning tournament champion Kim Clijsters in the semifinal, and in the final – Australian Open-2008 champion Maria Sharapova.

Recall that in the decisive match, Rybakina beat Sabalenka in three sets – 6:4, 5:7, 6:2. The Kazakhstani won the US Open for the first time and claimed her third Grand Slam title of her career after Wimbledon-2022 and the Australian Open-2026.