Elena Rybakina shares the secret she believes can help her beat Aryna Sabalenka and become the US Open champion.
US Open finalist Elena Rybakina is up against one of the toughest challenges in women’s tennis, but she’s confident she has a secret weapon that could help her win a third Grand Slam title.
Aryna Sabalenka has been a powerhouse at the US Open over the past few years, but Rybakina believes her strong serve could make all the difference in what promises to be a close match in New York.
So far, Sabalenka has only needed a third set once on her way to the final, beating players like Camila Osorio, Polina Iatcenko, Kamilla Rakhimova, and Jessica Pegula in straight sets. Her quarter-final against Linda Noskova was a tough fight.
Rybakina cruised through her first four matches without dropping a set but had to come back after losing the first set against Zheng Qinwen and Coco Gauff.
This final will be an epic showdown between the world number one, Sabalenka, and number two, Rybakina.
“I’ll need to bring my best serve and make smart choices at the right moments,” Rybakina told reporters before Saturday’s final. “Matches often come down to tight scores, and that’s when decisions really count.”
According to Tennis365, Rybakina is second only to Sabalenka when it comes to service points won this season.
Sabalenka has the edge over most players in service games won in 2026, but she and Rybakina are neck and neck.
“Rybakina is known as the best server on the WTA Tour and it’s definitely her biggest strength,” says Liam McMillen. “She’s already hit 357 aces this season – that’s more than anyone else and over 100 more than Sabalenka.”
Earlier this year, Rybakina beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. She edged her rival by breaking serve more often, having a slightly better first-serve success, and serving one more ace.
While Rybakina took the Australian Open title to claim her second Grand Slam win, Sabalenka enters Saturday’s US Open final as the favorite.
In their 17 matches so far, Sabalenka leads with 10 wins.
This is Rybakina’s first US Open final, and she’s facing Sabalenka, who has been the queen of Flushing Meadows lately. Sabalenka hasn’t lost a US Open singles match since the 2023 final against Coco Gauff.
In 2024, she beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets to win the title, and a year later, Pegula’s fellow American Amanda Anisimova lost to her in the final the same way.
If Sabalenka wins her third straight US Open, she’ll be just one title away from tying a record held by Chris Evert.
Evert is the only woman in the Open Era to win the US Open four years in a row, from 1975 to 1978.
For more updates, check out the latest on these two amazing players!