First, it was the top ranking in women's tennis, then the US Open trophy.
The tournament that for so long was a struggle for Rybakina turned into the site of her coronation.
Rybakina won her first US Open title and punctuated her climb to the top of her sport by beating Sabalenka 6-4 5-7 6-2 on Saturday (Sunday AEST).
The Kazakh had already been guaranteed to replace Sabalenka at world No.1 next week and for good measure took the title that Sabalenka had won the previous two years.
"It's still so difficult to process what happened," Rybakina said.
"Too many achievements these few weeks."
It was the third grand slam title for Rybakina and the second this year — both against Sabalenka on hard courts. She opened the season by beating Sabalenka for the Australian Open title.
This time, Rybakina stopped Sabalenka's 19-match winning streak in New York where she hadn't lost since falling to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
Rybakina earned $US5.5 million ($A7.7 million), the largest prize in grand slam history, and tied Sabalenka and French Open winner Mirra Andreeva with a tour-high three titles this season.
Sabalenka took home $US2.8 million ($A3.9 million), but it was clear how little that meant to her as she smashed her racket after a brief hug with Rybakina at the net.
The Belarusian was trying to become the first person since Serena Williams from 2012-14 to win three in a row at Flushing Meadows.
"I was just out there competing, trying to do my best with what I had there today," Sabalenka said.
"Not good enough."
Rybakina dethroned the champ without even having her best stuff. The WTA Tour leader in aces got less than half of her first serves in, but racked up 12 break chances and converted three.
The third meeting of No.1 against No.2 in a US Open women's final since 2000 was the first to go the way of the challenger. Williams was the top seed for the other two, beating her sister Venus in 2002 and Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
Sabalenka has held the top spot for 99 consecutive weeks, but Rybakina gained enough points to unseat her simply by reaching the semi-finals.
The 27-year-old, who was born in Russia, won her first major title at Wimbledon in 2022 and now needs just the French Open to complete the career Grand Slam.
"Her serve is amazing, the way she's able to step in and overpower you on court, and especially if it's a US Open court where it's super fast, it's definitely a huge advantage for her," Sabalenka said.
"A lot of things make her dangerous."
Sabalenka had won the two other meetings this season, on the hard courts at Indian Wells and Miami, and leads their rivalry 10-8.
But her season then took a strange dip after those victories. She fell to Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Wimbledon, then returned to action with consecutive fourth-round exits in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Rybakina had to take a brief break after she was forced to stop playing in her quarter-final match against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati because of a foot injury, but she was healthy in time for a tournament where she had never done particularly well, failing to advance past the fourth round until this year.
"I honestly was coming here for the last 10 years and it was never successful — nothing close to that," Rybakina said.
"It's just incredible. I'm falling in love with New York more and more."
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