Rybakina outduels tetchy Sabalenka to win US Open

Elena Rybakina validated her impending move to world No. 1 as she dethroned Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, knocking out the two-time defending champion in a two and a half hour coronation performance to win the US Open on Saturday.

The Kazakh who will move into the top WTA spot in Monday’s rankings, took flight in the third set, breaking Sabalenka twice and losing just three points on serve. She finished the win with an ace after double-faulting on her first match point seconds earlier.

Rybakina had been somewhat doubtful prior to the Open after retiring with an ankle last month in a Cincinnati quarter-final.

She sent over a dozen aces and broke a patchy Sabalenka three times to win her second Grand Slam title of the season after the Australian Open in January.

“I’ve been here the past 10 years and I’ve never been close to being this successful,” Rybakina said. “This is just incredible, it will be an amazing memory.”

The winner added: “It’s tough to find the words right now. I did not expect anything like this.

“I was dealing with injury but everything lined up on my side; this doesn’t feel real.”

The winner called her runner-up “a great champion.”

“It is so difficult to play you, I was dying out there on court trying to get to every possible ball.”

Sabalenka came to the final holding a 10-7 lead in their career series. The match was a repeat of the Melbourne final nine months ago, where Rybakina also beat Sabalenka in three sets.

Sabalenka came to tears on the post-match podium, bitterly disappointed with her failure to complete a New York title hat-trick.

“The last thing I want to be doing right now is making a speech,” she said. “But I’ll try my best.

“I’m disappointed but congrats to Elena on an incredible year. I wish I could have performed better – but I guess next year.”

Sabalenka got away to an inauspicious start, forced to save three break points in the third game as Rybakina took early control of the final, delivering back-to-back aces for 4-all

With Sabalenka repeatedly forced to save break points, the two-time defending champion was finally broken to trail 2-3, receiving a warning for racquet abuse – an angry toss – after double-faulting away the fifth game.

Rybakina then delivered a love game, going on to to claim the early lead 6-4 on a second set point after 44 minutes as Sabalenka put a return long.

The top seed reigned in her emotions and nerves a bit in the second set, with good results as she spent nearly an hour and three set points to level the final at a set each.

Sabalenka salvaged two break points in the third game and held to love in the seventh and ninth games before missing on two set points as Rybakina moved to 5-all.

Sabalenka finally came good on her third chance, seizing the set and breaking her opponent with a backhand winner down the line, 7-5.

Main photo:- Elena Rybakina celebrates winning US Open Women’s singles title – WTATennis.com