‘I will need to come with all energy’: Rybakina on Sabalenka US Open final

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina will face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. Rybakina, seeking her maiden title in New York, said she will need maximum energy, a strong serve and composure in key moments

New York: Elena Rybakina emphasised that she will have to unleash all her energy to try to topple two-time defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka as the two gear up for the title clash on Sunday (as per IST).

Rybakina, the new World No. 1 and a two-time Grand Slam winner, is looking for her maiden US Open title and is in her first final in the Big Apple. She defeated American fourth seed Coco Gauff after dropping the first set in a thrilling two-hour-and-eight-minute clash to move into her first US Open final and fourth major final overall.

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As she gears up for the final, Rybakina admitted that she would have to come with all the energy she has against Sabalenka.

“We played many times; we practised also before, and she’s a very aggressive player,” Rybakina said at the press conference after her semifinal win.

“It’s difficult to play with her mentally and physically because she has a big game, big serve, and I will need to come with all the energy I will have, bring my best serve against Aryna and make the right decisions at the right moment because most of the time it’s a tight score and this is where the decision makes a difference. So yeah, we will see what’s going to happen, but I definitely will try my best and give it all,” she added.

The two will face each other for the 18th time on the WTA Tour, with Sabalenka leading 10-7. They will also meet for the third time in a Grand Slam final, having split their previous two meetings.

Rybakina and Sabalenka have previously met each other twice in Grand Slam finals, with both clashes coming at the Australian Open. Sabalenka won the first in 2023, while Rybakina avenged the defeat at the 2026 Australian Open.

Rybakina also secured the World No. 1 ranking after her quarterfinal win against Zheng Qinwen and is in her maiden US Open final.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka is in her fourth straight final at Flushing Meadows, having been a runner-up in 2023 and winning the title in 2024 and 2025.

Sabalenka is looking to become just the third woman to win three consecutive US Open titles after Chris Evert and Serena Williams.