Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, in the 2026 US Open final.
The 27-year-old is now a three-time major champion, adding to her 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open wins.
Watching her lift the trophy, it is easy to forget the fitness worries that surrounded Rybakina just a few weeks ago.
She has now issued a fresh fitness update, commenting on the foot issue that forced her to retire from the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals 23 days ago.
During an interview with ESPN, Rybakina said the following.
“Honestly, my foot issue has been for years. It is kind of chronic,” she said.
“It was coming on and off, but on that tournament right before the US Open, I did one movement, and it was very difficult.
“The days before, it was raining, so I was going on and off the court, and I hurt myself. We all got upset as a team.
“We started to call the doctor, and one actually helped me quite a lot. She was on the phone every day, and she was in Australia.”
Rybakina only had four days of practice before the US Open, but she made them count!
“It was so difficult to manage all these things. I was not touching my racket for seven days before the tournament,” she said.
“It was likely that I was going to play on Tuesday, so I got these extra days. It was just four days of practice.
“A lot of belief in yourself and talking to the team about the tactics. How I played in Canada and Cincinnati, and everything went my way. I am shocked.”
Rybakina doesn’t seem to think there is a permanent solution to her foot problem.
But if she can play like this with a chronic injury, then that is probably good news for the rest of the WTA Tour!
Rybakina is now a three-time major champion.
That moves her into sixth on the list of active Grand Slam women’s singles champions.
If she wins the next Grand Slam event, the 2027 Australian Open, Rybakina will tie Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka on four majors.
The Kazakhstani could then set her sights on Iga Swiatek (6) and Venus Williams (7).
Rybakina won’t want to get ahead of herself, though, and knows just how difficult it is to win Grand Slams.
After winning her maiden major title at Wimbledon in 2022, Rybakina failed to win any of her next 13 Grand Slam events.
With young players emerging like Alex Eala, Iva Jovic, and Victoria Mboko, Rybakina must capitalise on her career-best form and win as many majors as she can, while she can.
Only time will tell if Rybakina can add to her major tally in 2027.
Before then, she will likely attend the China Open, Wuhan Open, and the WTA Finals.
They aren’t Grand Slams, but they are ‘big tournaments’ that Rybakina will want to win.
The 2026 China Open begins on Monday, September 28.
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