Sawt Falasteen - Rybakina triumphs in US Open, denies Sabalenka three-peat

Kazakhstan's Rybakina, assured of supplanting Sabalenka atop the rankings by reaching the semi-finals in New York, won her third Grand Slam title to go with her 2022 Wimbledon crown and the Australian Open trophy she lifted this year with a win over Sabalenka.

Rybakina has played three of her four Grand Slam finals against Sabalenka, winning two and losing one, at the 2023 Australian Open.

"I can't find the words now," Rybakina said as she accepted the trophy at a tournament where she had never before made it past the fourth round. "I'm falling more and more in love with New York."

Sabalenka, unbeaten in 20 prior matches at Flushing Meadows, clawed back courageously in the second set, breaking Rybakina for the first time in the final game to force the third.

But with her trademark aplomb, Rybakina roared back to finish off a frustrated Sabalenka, who smashed her racket while sitting in her chair as her opponent was applauded by the crowd.

Sabalenka, 28, will end the year without a major title for the first time since 2022.

The two biggest hitters in the women's game came out swinging. After Rybakina held to love in the second game, she had Sabalenka in trouble in the third, unleashing a backhand passing winner to set up the first break chances of the match.

Sabalenka saved one break point with a forehand down the line and ripped another forehand winner on the next. A double fault gave Rybakina another look but Sabalenka held on with a volley winner before sealing the game with her first ace.

Two games later, however, Rybakina seized control as she relentlessly pushed Sabalenka back with her deep groundstrokes. Unsettled, Sabalenka double faulted on break point, then smacked a ball skyward to draw a code violation warning for ball abuse.

After another love hold from Rybakina, and a break point saved from Sabalenka, the margin was 4-3.

Rybakina hadn't committed a single unforced error through seven games and Sabalenka was looking increasingly desperate.

Serving to extend the set at 5-3, she crushed an overhead several feet beyond the baseline and had to regroup before closing the game with an ace and a service winner.

But Rybakina wouldn't be denied, and despite a hint of nerves as she coughed up her first double fault of the match, she polished off the set 6-4 with a screaming backhand winner before Sabalenka sailed a shot long to end the deciding rally.

- "I guess next year' -

The second set started much the same, Sabalenka saving a pair of break points in the third game before thumping down a massive serve to hold.

She had yet to make any headway against Rybakina's serve, but she seemed to have found something on her own, twice holding to love as she took a 5-4 lead.

Sabalenka's first break points of the match gave her a chance to close out the set, but she smacked a forehand long on the first and belted a service return long on the second as Rybakina leveled the set at 5-5.

Nevertheless, Sabalenka was gaining in confidence. She held for a 6-5 lead then broke Rybakina with authority to force a third set -- but it proved only a brief reprieve.

"I wish I could have performed a little better," Sabalenka told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, her voice breaking, "but I guess next year."

K.AbuTaha--SF-PST