Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are set to reignite their brilliant WTA Tour rivalry as they will meet in the final of the US Open.
Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula in straightforward fashion to book her place in the final, rushing to a 7-5, 6-2 victory against the American.
Rybakina, meanwhile, was forced to work a bit harder to get past Coco Gauff. The new World No 1 battled back from a set down to make her second Grand Slam final this season.
Sabalenka and Rybakina met in the Australian Open final earlier this year, which went the way of the Kazakhstani, and that was just another chapter in one of the more brilliant rivalries on the Tour.
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The duo have played each other 17 times since their first meeting at the Wuhan Open in 2019, with Sabalenka leading the head-to-head with 10 victories.
Sabalenka dominated the early rivalry, earning six victories in their first 10 matches on the WTA Tour, but Rybakina has earned some big wins on ever bigger stages.
Rybakina beat Sabalenka to win Indian Wells in 2013 and two of her victories have come at the WTA Finals, which many considered the unofficial fifth Grand Slam.
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina’s head-to-head record
- Wuhan Open 2019 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Abu Dhabi Open 2021 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Wimbledon 2021 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Australian Open 2023 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Indian Wells 2023 – Elena Rybakina
- China Open 2023 – Elena Rybakina
- WTA Finals 2023 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Brisbane International 2024 – Elena Rybakina
- Madrid Open 2024 – Aryna Sabalenka
- WTA Finals 2024 – Elena Rybakina
- Berlin Open 2025 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Cincinnati Open 2025 – Elena Rybakina
- Wuhan Open 2025 – Aryna Sabalenka
- WTA Finals 2025 – Elena Rybakina
- Australian Open 2026 – Elena Rybakina
- Indian Wells 2026 – Aryna Sabalenka
- Miami Open 2026 – Aryna Sabalenka
- US Open 2026 – ???
At Grand Slam level, Sabalenka and Rybakina have met three times. Two of those have gone the way of Sabalenka, at Wimbledon in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2023.
However, Rybakina’s victory against Sabalenka in the Australian Open final this year will surely give her the confidence to topple her fierce rival in the US Open final.
Interestingly, 10 of their 17 matches have needed a deciding set, which only proves how close the pair are in terms of quality.
Their meeting in the US Open final will be just their fifth meeting on American soil and they cannot be separated when they play in the nation.
Rybakina has victories against Sabalenka at Indian Wells and the Cincinnati Open, whereas Sabalenka has beaten Rybakina at Indian Wells and the Miami Open.
Whatever happens in the 2026 US Open final, it is bound to be close between the top-ranked players on the WTA Tour.
