US Open Final: Aryna Sabalenka’s bid for a third consecutive US Open women’s singles title ended in disappointment as Elena Rybakina defeated her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the 2026 final. The Belarusian was visibly frustrated after the defeat, with her emotional reaction continuing after the match as a video of her smashing her racket went viral on social media.
Aryna Sabalenka Smashes Racket in Frustration After US Open Final Defeat
Sabalenka’s frustration boiled over immediately after her US Open final defeat to Rybakina. As the new champion celebrated her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory just a few feet away, Sabalenka sat on the bench and repeatedly smashed her racket against the court before throwing it aside. The moment came moments after Rybakina converted match point, ending Sabalenka’s bid for a third consecutive title at Flushing Meadows.
The cameras initially followed Rybakina as she celebrated with the crowd before turning towards Sabalenka, who was visibly devastated by the loss. The 28-year-old had entered the tournament hoping to become only the third woman in the Open Era to win the US Open three years in succession after lifting the trophy in 2024 and 2025.
ACABOU GALERA pic.twitter.com/SmCUc2Fwuy
— lua (@luaxdr) September 12, 2026
Watch Video of Aryna Sabalenka’s Emotional Reaction
The racket-smashing incident quickly attracted attention on social media, with the footage capturing Sabalenka’s frustration immediately after the final. The defeat was particularly painful for the Belarusian as she had also surrendered the world No. 1 ranking to Rybakina, who moved to the top after reaching the semifinals.
Sabalenka Struggles to Hold Back Tears After Defeat
Sabalenka’s emotions remained clear during her on-court interview, where she struggled to hold back tears. She also appeared keen to keep the cameras away from her while waiting for the trophy ceremony as she attempted to process the disappointing end to her title defence.
Later, while sitting with her team, Sabalenka seemingly asked a video maker who approached her to leave, suggesting that she wanted some privacy following the emotionally difficult defeat.
Elena Rybakina Ends Sabalenka’s US Open Title Defence
Rybakina recovered from losing the second set to dominate the deciding set and claim her maiden US Open women’s singles title. Her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory ended Sabalenka’s two-year reign at Flushing Meadows and marked another major milestone in their rivalry.
Aditya Pimpale is a sports journalist currently working with News X, with previous experience at WION, India TV and India Today. With a keen interest in cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis and other major sporting disciplines, he brings a versatile perspective to sports journalism. Aditya has extensive on-ground reporting experience, having covered multiple IPL seasons, including the 2025 and 2026 finals from the stadium. He also covered the 2026 T20 World Cup from the ground, including the final in Ahmedabad. His work focuses on breaking news, match reports, analysis, interviews, features, sports trends and engaging digital storytelling.
