Aryna Sabalenka’s 2026 US Open campaign ended in frustration. After losing the women’s singles final to Elena Rybakina, the Belarusian star smashed her racket on court and was later fined $7,500 (around ₹7.2 lakh) for her conduct during the championship match.
The punishment adds another unwanted chapter to what was already a painful night for Sabalenka. She had arrived in New York as the two-time defending champion and was chasing a historic third consecutive US Open title. Instead, she lost the trophy, surrendered the world No. 1 ranking to Rybakina and finished the tournament with a disciplinary sanction.
Sabalenka’s US Open final ended in frustration
Sabalenka went into the final against Rybakina with plenty at stake. She was attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams’ 2012-14 run to win the US Open three years in a row. Rybakina, meanwhile, was playing in her first US Open final and had already beaten Sabalenka in the 2026 Australian Open final.
The match lasted 2 hours and 21 minutes, with Rybakina eventually winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. The victory gave the Kazakh her first US Open championship and third Grand Slam title.
The defeat was particularly significant for Sabalenka because it also brought an end to her remarkable run at Flushing Meadows. She had won the tournament in 2024 and 2025 and had built a 20-match winning streak at the US Open before Rybakina stopped her.
But the tennis itself was only part of the story.
What did Sabalenka do to get fined?
Sabalenka’s frustration was visible throughout the final. According to reports, she received a code violation after hitting a ball into the stands during the opening set.
Later, as the match slipped away from her in the deciding set, her emotions became increasingly difficult to contain. She was seen arguing with herself and her team before smashing her racket after Rybakina moved closer to victory. She also had an angry exchange with a camera that was filming her.
The racket incident ultimately formed part of the disciplinary action against her.
The United States Tennis Association imposed a $7,500 fine, equivalent to roughly ₹7.2 lakh at the exchange rate cited in reports. The sanction was connected to her conduct and racket abuse during the final.
Interestingly, the fine is relatively small compared with the prize money Sabalenka earned as runner-up. Reports put her runner-up prize money at $2.8 million, meaning the penalty represented only a small fraction of her tournament earnings.
Rybakina completed a remarkable double
While Sabalenka was dealing with the disappointment, Rybakina was celebrating one of the biggest achievements of her career.
The 27-year-old Kazakh had already secured the world No. 1 ranking after reaching the final. By defeating Sabalenka, she then added the US Open trophy to that achievement.
Rybakina won the first set 6-4 in 44 minutes. Sabalenka responded strongly in the second, taking it 7-5 and forcing a decider.
The third set, however, belonged to Rybakina.
Sabalenka managed to save several break points during an extended opening service game, but Rybakina continued to apply pressure. Once she secured the crucial break, she controlled the remainder of the set and closed out the match 6-2. The official US Open report confirmed that the victory also ensured Rybakina would move to No. 1 in the WTA rankings.
Rybakina’s achievement was even more notable because this was her first US Open final. She now has three Grand Slam singles titles, having previously won Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Her 2026 season has therefore produced major milestones on hard courts as well as her rise to the top of the rankings.
Sabalenka loses more than just the trophy
The final result was a double blow for Sabalenka.
Before the US Open, she was the world’s No. 1-ranked women’s singles player and had held that position for 99 consecutive weeks. Rybakina’s run to the final had already guaranteed that the ranking would change after the tournament. Her victory made the transition even more significant.
The new rankings subsequently confirmed Rybakina at No. 1 and Sabalenka at No. 2.
For Sabalenka, it also meant finishing the 2026 Grand Slam season without a major title. Rybakina had already defeated her in the Australian Open final earlier in the year, making the two Grand Slam finals between the pair particularly important to the season’s storyline.
Still, Sabalenka’s reaction after the match suggested she understood that the emotions came from the importance of the moment. Reports said she later explained that letting the anger out on court was preferable to keeping everything bottled up.
That does not change the tournament’s disciplinary rules, but it provides some context for the scenes that followed the final.
US Open 2026 handed out more than $100,000 in fines
Sabalenka was not the only player punished during this year’s US Open.
Reports indicate that the tournament issued numerous fines for offences including racket abuse, ball abuse, verbal conduct and unsportsmanlike behaviour. One report put the total value of fines issued during the tournament at $112,500.
Sabalenka’s $7,500 penalty therefore sits within a wider disciplinary picture at this year’s tournament rather than being an isolated incident.
For the Belarusian, however, the timing made the fine particularly noticeable. It came immediately after one of the most important matches of her season and after she had missed the opportunity to make US Open history.
Rybakina, meanwhile, walked away from New York with the trophy, the No. 1 ranking and another Grand Slam title.
The rivalry between the two players is also becoming increasingly significant. Rybakina has now beaten Sabalenka in two Grand Slam finals in 2026, while Sabalenka still holds the overall head-to-head advantage between the pair.
For Sabalenka, the next challenge will be turning the frustration of New York into motivation for the rest of the season. For Rybakina, the US Open triumph represents the latest step in an extraordinary rise to the top of women’s tennis.
One thing is certain: the 2026 US Open final will be remembered for much more than the scoreline.
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