Elena Rybakina: “Everything Went My Way. I’m Shocked” — From Pre-Tournament Injury Scares to Crowned US Open Champion and World No. 1
On August 20, Elena Rybakina’s 2026 US Open campaign appeared over before it even had a chance to begin. Forced to retire just five games into her Cincinnati quarterfinal against Iga Świątek due to a looming Achilles issue, the 27-year-old spent the following week undergoing scans, consulting medical specialists, and completely avoiding her racquet.
Fast forward twenty-three days, and Rybakina stood inside Arthur Ashe Stadium holding the US Open trophy aloft. Capping an extraordinary fortnight of resilience and heavy hitting, the Kazakh star defeated her fierce rival and two-time major champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to secure her third Grand Slam singles crown and seal her ascension to WTA World No. 1.
“It’s just incredible. I still can’t believe it. I mean, no words,” said Rybakina, who will officially become the 30th player in WTA history to hold the top spot when the new rankings release Monday. “Somehow, day by day, we were trying to find a way, adapting to all the challenges I was waking up with every day. I was not touching my racquet for seven days before the tournament.”
Navigating Medical Doubts to Find Major Form
Rybakina’s preparation in Queens was limited to just four days of light practice after arriving in New York to examine fresh MRI results.
“It wasn’t the best time, for sure, because I was so upset,” Rybakina revealed during her champion’s press conference. “I didn’t know actually how it’s going to be day by day. We arrived in New York. We did an MRI. It didn’t look that great. We had to talk with a lot of doctors to get an opinion on what we should do.”
“Just four days of practice, a lot of belief in yourself and talking with the team nonstop about the tactics, how I played in Canada, how I played in Cincinnati… Everything went my way. I’m shocked.”
Despite the rushed build-up, Rybakina navigated a brutal draw, defeating three former Grand Slam champions and the reigning Olympic gold medalist en route to the title.
Locking Up Ranking History and Finishing Strong
Having already clinched the World No. 1 ranking simply by advancing to the semifinals, Rybakina admitted that clearing that career milestone allowed her to play with freedom during the tournament’s closing weekend.
“There was so much going on inside, but I feel like when I played for the No. 1 ranking, it’s true, it was a relief afterward because I achieved one goal,” Rybakina shared. “Of course, whatever happens after, you just try to play.”
In Sunday’s final, that freedom translated into raw baseline dominance. Rybakina won 35 of 41 first-serve points overall and produced a flawless tactical display in the deciding set—surrendering just three points on serve and facing zero break points to close out the championship.
“Today, there were a lot of nerves too,” Rybakina noted with a smile. “But I feel like I was more focused on the game.”
With major victories at both the Australian Open and US Open in 2026, Rybakina completes a career-best Grand Slam season at the apex of women’s tennis.
