Elena Rybakina Stuns Aryna Sabalenka to Claim Historic £4 Million Reward

Tennis Play

Elena Rybakina secured her 45th hard court win of the year

Elena Rybakina won the biggest prize in women's tennis history by beating world number one Aryna Sabalenka in two sets at the tournament.

Rybakina delivered a impressive performance to overcome four-times Grand Slam winner her opponent in two sets in the host country.

Since each competitor advanced through the competition undefeated, the purse on offer was a historic £3.98 million – the highest payout offering in WTA history.

This amount tops the £3.74 million the Belarusian received for claiming the US Open, which was the most lucrative major tournament in 2025.

"This has been an fantastic week," commented Rybakina.

"Truly didn't expect any result so to reach the final was just remarkable."

"I want to say praise to Aryna for being number one for a second year running, it's an incredible accomplishment."

The champion, who was the world number six, delivered 16 winning shots during a dominant opening set display.

The 2022 Wimbledon winner saved a couple of break points before winning every point in the sixth game to go a break up and held her serve to secure the first set.

As the second set progressed, the world number one saved two opportunities at 4-4 to swing the momentum in her favor.

However, after fighting back to upset Rybakina's rhythm, the top seed failed to capitalize by wasting a pair of chances in the next game to tie the set at five-all.

Her inability to force a decider affected her tiebreak play, with Rybakina winning all seven points to take home the championship.

The victory, Rybakina's sixth over her rival, means Rybakina will move up one place in the WTA rankings to number five in the world rankings.

A distraught Sabalenka was seen crying as she sat with her coaching team shortly after the final.

"It was not the finest performance from me in this match but Rybakina you were certainly the superior competitor," the Belarusian addressed the crowd.

"You really smashed me on court. I'm happy to see you play your best tennis. Celebrate this stunning trophy."

Brian Diaz
Brian Diaz

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