Elena Rybakina reveals her plan to stop Aryna Sabalenkova in the US Open final

Elena Rybakina knows she can’t afford to let Aryna Sabalenkova dictate the US Open final. The world number two believes staying aggressive and controlling the rally will be essential if she is to deny the defending champion a historic third straight title in New York.

Rybakina will face top seed Sabalenkova in the women’s singles final on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where both the title and No. 1 are at stake. It will be their 18th meeting, Sabalenka has a 10-7 edge in their head-to-head record.

In an interview shared by JioStar before the final, Rybakina emphasized the importance of taking the initiative against a player she knows extremely well.

“I think the same spirit. I need to fight no matter how I feel that day and give my best. We know each other pretty well and we’ve played against each other so many times. Yeah, try to stay aggressive in the important moments, don’t wait for her to dictate the point and try to stay on top of the rally,” Rybakina said.

The Kazakh secured her place in the final with a fightback win over 2023 champion Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. The victory continued with a test run in New York, where she pushed Rybakina to three sets in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

RYBAKIN’S FIGHT THROUGH PAIN

The 27-year-old admitted that the trip to New York was uncertain due to concerns about her leg. She entered the tournament not knowing how her body would react, but gradually shifted her focus from injury to improving her tennis.

“I wasn’t 100 percent sure if I was even going to be able to play this tournament. The first few matches I was thinking about my leg and how it was actually going to react. I wasn’t that comfortable playing the first few matches,” she said.

“After that, I slowly focused on what I was doing wrong on the court and what I needed to improve. So yes, I slowly found my way.”

Rybakina also revealed how she mentally pushed through the fatigue during her recent three-set battles, especially when she felt her legs ache when serving.

“I just fought for every point because both matches were very close. There were moments where I didn’t have enough energy and pushed from my feet on my serve,” she said.

Her opponent comes with a momentum of his own. Sabalenkova beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach her fourth consecutive US Open final, becoming the first player since Serena Williams from 2011 to 2014 to do so.

Sabalenkova is chasing a fifth Grand Slam title and an unprecedented third straight US Open title, while Rybakina is aiming to add the New York trophy to her Australian Open triumph and strengthen her bid for the top spot.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

12 Sep 2026 15:23 IST