Arina Sabalenka is ready for the upcoming confrontation, aiming to win her third consecutive title at the US Open. However, her path could be interrupted by Elena Rybakina, who has already stripped Sabalenka of the world number one ranking.
The final, which will take place in Flushing Meadows, resembles the Australian Open final in January, where Rybakina won, avenging Sabalenka's defeat in Melbourne in 2023.
In their head-to-head record, Sabalenka holds an advantage of 10-7, including victories over Rybakina at the WTA 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami in March.
Nevertheless, the results of the 28-year-old Belarusian began to decline after this period, marked by unsuccessful performances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
At the Flushing Meadows tournament, she once again demonstrated dominant play, showing an almost flawless combination of power and precision to defeat Jessica Pegula in straight sets and reach the US Open quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive time.
Rybakina, meanwhile, managed to recover after losing a set to defeat 2023 champion Coco Gauff and reach her first US Open final. By that time, having reached the semifinals, the 27-year-old athlete secured a position above Sabalenka in the rankings.
This is a significant achievement for the player, whose preparation for the tournament was complicated by a heel injury that forced her to leave the Cincinnati tournament last month, raising doubts about her participation. However, it seems the injury was not a problem, and Sabalenka was preparing for another intense match.
Sabalenka noted: 'She is a strong server. She has really improved her baseline game over the years,' she added. 'So it will be a physically and mentally challenging match. But I am ready to fight. I am ready to do everything to win.'
Rybakina, whose self-sufficient nature serves as an ideal contrast to the fiery Sabalenka, also emphasized the mental demands of such a match, where there is no room for error. 'She is a very aggressive player. She is difficult to play against, mentally and physically, because she has a big game and a powerful serve,' stated Rybakina. 'I will need to come with all my energy, use my best serve against Arina, and make the right decisions at the right time, as the score is very tight most of the time. That is where the decision matters.'
Sabalenka, leading in personal encounters 10-7, is the first in the Open Era to reach eight consecutive Grand Slam finals on hard courts, although she has lost several such matches. Before her defeat by Rybakina in Melbourne this year, she had been beaten by Madison Keys in 2025, an American who halted Sabalenka's attempt to win a third consecutive title in Australia.
As she now tries to join Chris Evert and Serena Williams as one of the few women to win three consecutive US Open titles, Sabalenka said she has learned to ignore the noise around this race for three titles. The four-time Grand Slam champion noted: 'It sounds simple, but sometimes it is not that simple to do.'
Rybakina's victory, the second Grand Slam title in Australia coming four years after her debut major at Wimbledon, will further solidify her status at the top and as Sabalenka's main rival. Nevertheless, Rybakina insists that their fierce rivalry on the court is not personal. 'It is an important match,' she said, but added, 'Since it is a final, I don't think who is on the other side matters. You just want to win and do your best. But I also don't want to put too much pressure on myself.'
Both athletes believe that winning the trophy on Saturday is more important than the number one ranking. Sabalenka admitted that it was 'a little strange' to know she would lose the top spot after two dominant weeks in New York, but if the week ends with a title, she stated: 'I don't care.'