Sabalenka feels weight of three-peat in US Open final loss

NEW YORK: In a heartbreaking US Open final loss, Aryna Sabalenka's quest for a third consecutive title came to an end on Saturday, when she was defeated 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 by Elena Rybakina. The Belarusian player admitted that the pressure of attempting a three-peat in New York made it particularly challenging for her to maintain emotional control throughout the match.

Sabalenka let her frustration boil over twice, even hitting a ball into the crowd and eventually breaking her racket as the game slipped away. She told reporters, "It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for three-peat." The contrast in composure between the two players was evident, with Rybakina's poise standing out as she absorbed Sabalenka's powerful play to eventually clinch her third Grand Slam title and her first at Flushing Meadows.

Sabalenka conceded that her opponent played "really aggressive, great tennis" and was "simply a better player today than me." Rybakina had already displaced Sabalenka as the world's top-ranked player before the final, marking the end of the Belarusian's 99-week reign at No. 1. Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka couldn't help but acknowledge the support she would have received from the enthusiastic crowd, saying, "I felt like, ‘Oh, my God, I feel American over there.’

I just wish I could win it and feel the support even more. Yeah, not this year." The loss also ended Sabalenka's impressive 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows and denied her the opportunity to join Serena Williams and Chris Evert as the only women in the professional era to secure three straight U.S. Open titles.