Home / Sports / Generations collide: Sharapova hands Rybakina US Open title
Generations collide: Sharapova hands Rybakina US Open title
13 Sep
Summary
- Sharapova presented trophy 20 years after her own 2006 win.
- Rybakina defeated defending champion Sabalenka in a three-set final.
- This marks Rybakina's third major title and first US Open win.
In a poignant full-circle moment, Maria Sharapova graced Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 12, 2026. She presented the women's singles trophy to Elena Rybakina, the newly crowned 2026 US Open champion.
This appearance held deep significance as it occurred exactly two decades after Sharapova herself claimed the same championship in 2006. Following the ceremony, the two Grand Slam champions shared a moment on the court with Rybakina's trophy.
Rybakina emerged victorious over the two-time defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka, in a hard-fought three-set final. The score read 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in favor of Rybakina.
The 2006 US Open victory was the second of five major singles titles for Sharapova, who was just 19 at the time. Now, twenty years later, she witnessed another champion add New York to her burgeoning Grand Slam collection.
For Rybakina, this win represents her first US Open title and the third major championship of her career, following her previous victories at Wimbledon in 2022 and the 2026 Australian Open against Sabalenka. She is now just one Grand Slam title away from a career Grand Slam.
