Manila: Elena Rybakina defeated defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday to win the US Open women's singles title and claim her third Grand Slam crown.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Kazakh player, 27, who also won the Australian Open earlier this year, denied Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus a third consecutive US Open title with a composed performance in the deciding set at New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium. Rybakina took the opening set 6-4 before Sabalenka fought back to tie the match by winning the second 7-5.

Rybakina regained control in the third set, breaking Sabalenka twice and closing out a 6-2 victory to secure her first US Open title. Rybakina had already secured the world No. 1 ranking before the final and will officially take the top spot when the rankings are updated Monday, replacing Sabalenka at the summit.

The victory gives Rybakina two Grand Slam titles in 2026, after she defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January. It was the third Grand Slam final between the two players. Sabalenka won their first major final at the 2023 Australian Open, while Rybakina won both of their Grand Slam finals in 2026.

Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed, entered the final seeking to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles. Williams won three straight in New York from 2012 through 2014. The victory also saw Rybakina complete a sweep of the year's two hardcourt Grand Slam titles.

In the men's final Sunday, eighth-seed Ben Shelton will bid to become the first American to win a major singles title since Andy Roddick captured the US Open in 2003. He will face top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany. Shelton advanced to his first Grand Slam final Friday, defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.

He became the first Black American man to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, and the first to reach a Grand Slam final since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996. "I'm going for it here, and I'm going to leave it all on the court," said Shelton, 23.

Zverev defeated Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6), to reach the final. He holds a 5-0 career record against Shelton and has won their past 10 sets, though Sunday's match will be their first meeting at a Grand Slam.