Sabalenka vs Rybakina: US Open women’s singles final – start, prize, form

Who: Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina
What: US Open 2026 women’s singles final
Where: Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York, United States
When: Saturday, September 12, 4pm section clip (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll person each the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1pm section clip (17:00 GMT) earlier our unrecorded substance commentary stream.

The apical 2 seeds astatine the US Open 2026 clash successful the women’s singles last connected Saturday, arsenic two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka takes connected soon-to-be satellite No. 1 Elena Rybakina.

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Saturday’s clash astatine Arthur Ashe Stadium offers apical effect Sabalenka the accidental to implicit a uncommon “three-peat” of US Open titles – a feat achieved by lone 2 different women.

But 2nd effect Rybakina volition effort to woody Sabalenka different blow, having already ensured the Belarusian’s 99-week reign astatine the apical erstwhile the rankings are updated connected Monday.

As the brace conscionable successful a Grand Slam last for the 3rd time, Al Jazeera tells you everything you request to know:

Who did Sabalenka and Rybakina bushed successful the semifinals?

Sabalenka eliminated top-ranked ⁠American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 successful the archetypal semifinal connected Thursday, continuing her bid to articulation Chris Evert and Serena Williams arsenic the lone women to triumph 3 consecutive US Open titles.

In the 2nd semifinal, Rybakina silenced the partisan crowd, rallying from a acceptable down to bushed 2023 champion Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

When did Sabalenka and Rybakina past meet?

They’ve met 3 times this year, with Sabalenka winning their semifinal clash successful Miami and the last astatine Indian Wells successful confederate California.

Rybakina won conscionable once; however, it was the biggest of the three, lifting the Australian Open title successful Melbourne.

Rybakina not putting unit connected herself earlier Sabalenka showdown

Rybakina said she volition not enactment other unit connected herself ⁠before her maiden US Open final, viewing the showdown arsenic different accidental to trial herself against a rival who pushes ⁠her to the limit.

“It’s an ‌important match, and since it’s a final, I consciousness similar it doesn’t substance who’s connected the different side,” said Rybakina. “I don’t privation to enactment excessively overmuch unit connected myself, due to the fact that we’re precise adjacent successful the rankings.

“Even if thing goes incorrect successful the final, I’ll inactive person different opportunities and different ⁠tournaments until the extremity of the year,” the 27-year-old added.

“We propulsion each different ⁠when we play these matches, and you tin intelligibly spot what you request to enactment connected more. I deliberation that’s large that you play against idiosyncratic who pushes you to the limit.”

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina is gearing up for her archetypal US Open last [File: Charly Triballeau/AFP]

Sabalenka acceptable for ‘whatever it takes’ to win

The unstoppable Sabalenka pounded third-seeded Pegula remorselessly with her almighty groundstrokes, saying she was “super desperate” to scope her 4th consecutive final.

“I wanted it severely to spell to the finals, and of course, I privation to spell each the way,” said Sabalenka, who has had a dilatory summertime since back-to-back wins astatine Indian Wells and Miami successful March.

“The mentality was conscionable I’m ready. I’m acceptable for immoderate it’s going to instrumentality to get the win.”

“She [Rybakina] is simply a large server. She truly improved implicit the years connected the baseline game, truthful it’s going to beryllium a physically and mentally pugnacious match,” the Belarusian added.

How galore Grand Slams has Sabalenka won?

The 28-year-old has 4 large titles successful her cabinet: 2 Australian Open titles (2023 and 2024), and 2 US Open crowns (2024 and 2025).

How galore Grand Slams has Rybakina won?

The Russian-born Kazakh has 2 large titles: the 2022 Wimbledon rubric and the 2026 Australian Open title.

What is the head-to-head grounds betwixt Sabalenka and Rybakina?

Saturday’s last volition beryllium their 18th vocation meeting, with Sabalenka starring the head-to-head 10-7.

It volition besides people the 3rd clip they volition clash successful a Grand Slam last aft Rybakina won the 2026 Australian Open and Sabalenka triumphed astatine the aforesaid large successful 2023.

Who is the favourite successful the final?

History suggests Sabalenka is the favourite astatine Flushing Meadows, having not been beaten since losing the 2023 last to Gauff.

The existent World No. 1 has dropped lone 1 acceptable en way to the rubric clash, and seems to person deed her highest signifier conscionable earlier the last successful a “last propulsion of the season”.

Aryna Sabalenka is acceptable for her 4th consecutive US Open last [File: Heather Khalifa/AP]

That said, Rybakina volition beryllium nary pushover for Sabalenka. Her warring tone and quality to enactment chill nether unit headlined her semifinal victory, giving Sabalenka a sensation of what to expect arsenic the apical seeds clash successful a large finale erstwhile again.

Rybakina, though, admitted that she needs to measurement up her crippled for Saturday’s showdown against Sabalenka, whom she described arsenic an “unbelievable player”.

Who other has done a US Open three-peat?

The past subordinate to triumph 3 consecutive titles successful New York was tennis fable Serena Williams, the champion from 2012 to 2014.

Former World No. 1 Evert besides pulled disconnected 3 successful a enactment betwixt 1976 and 1978.

What is the prize money?

The victor of the US Open women’s singles last volition instrumentality location $5.5m, portion the runner-up volition beryllium awarded $2.8 million, portion of the corporate $108m the tourney offered astatine this year’s edition.

Where tin I ticker the US Open final?

The last volition beryllium televised oregon live-streamed astir the satellite by its international broadcast partners.

• United States: ESPN
• United Kingdom: Sky Sports
• India: JioHotstar
• South Africa: SuperSport

You tin find your determination broadcaster connected the authoritative US Open website’s TV listing.