Elena Rybakina cemented her position as world No 1 by dethroning two-time US Open winner Aryna Sabalenka to seal her maiden title in New York. Rybakina won her first US Open, beating top seed and defending champion Sabalenka 6-4 5-7 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 27-year-old had already been guaranteed to replace Sabalenka at No 1 in the rankings next week.

Two-time defending champion Sabalenka was looking to become only the third woman to achieve a New York 'three-peat' in the Open era, after Chris Evert and Serena Williams. Instead she was left sat in her chair, furiously smashing her racket in to smithereens as Rybakina, from Kazakhstan, celebrated a third Grand Slam title.

An ankle injury had threatened to derail Rybakina's campaign even before the tournament started, but she shrugged off those concerns to add the US Open title to her Australian Open triumph this year and Wimbledon success in 2022. "It's tough to find words right now, honestly," said Rybakina. "I didn't expect anything like this, coming to this tournament."

"I was dealing with a bit of an injury, but somehow everything aligned together on my side. I want to say to Aryna, you are a great champion. It's so difficult to play against you, you push to such limits." "I was doubting on the court and trying to get all the possible balls." "I'm falling in love with New York more and more, and it's amazing memories for me."

The title showdown on a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium had all the ingredients of a classic between the top two in the rankings. Dressed in a yellow-and-black outfit that evoked a bee, Rybakina produced some stinging groundstrokes but was unable to make the early pressure count as Sabalenka unleashed big serves to hold firm in the pair's third Grand Slam final meeting.