“I must serve better than I did today and stay aggressive,” says Rybakina

NEW YORK: Elena Rybakina battled back from a set down to defeat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a gripping US Open semi-final on Thursday, earning a place in the championship match against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Rybakina, who will become the new world number one after the tournament, is now one victory away from claiming her third Grand Slam title.

Sabalenka booked her place in the final earlier in the day with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over top-ranked American Jessica Pegula. The Belarusian is now within one win of becoming the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles.

Williams achieved the feat between 2012 and 2014.

Rybakina will face Sabalenka with confidence after defeating her in the Australian Open final earlier this year.

“She’s an unbelievable player, she played really well today, so I definitely need to step up my game,” Rybakina said.

“I must serve better than I did today and stay aggressive.”

Rybakina Turns the Match Around

Gauff started strongly and put Rybakina under constant pressure from the baseline. The American broke serve in the sixth game before taking the opening set 6-3 in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rybakina responded in the second set, taking advantage of errors from the fourth-seeded Gauff to level the match.

“I felt in the first set that it was a very good start and it was one break, but of course, there are nerves,” Rybakina said.

“Coco’s a great player, it’s always tough to play against her. It’s very difficult to dictate the rallies. I just took a deep breath and had a positive talk with myself to try and show some good tennis.”

The Kazakh then raised her level in the deciding set. Her powerful groundstrokes helped her break Gauff and move 5-3 ahead.

Gauff immediately responded with a break, but the American could not hold her serve in the next game. Rybakina took advantage and broke again to seal the victory.

“I know you guys wanted Coco to win, but it was a real battle,” Rybakina told the crowd.

“A few moments went my way, and in the end, I tried to stay focused and aggressive and win the match.”

The result also ended American hopes of a women’s singles finalist at this year’s Grand Slam tournaments. Gauff’s defeat, combined with Pegula’s earlier loss, means no American woman has reached a Grand Slam final in 2026, the first such occurrence since 2006.

Sabalenka Eyes Third Straight US Open Crown

Sabalenka had to work her way into her semi-final against Pegula before taking control of the contest.

The Belarusian’s power proved difficult for Pegula to handle, particularly in the second set, as the American struggled with her consistency.

“I was so desperate for the win, I wanted it badly,” Sabalenka said after reaching the final for the fourth consecutive year.

Sabalenka is now bidding to become only the third woman in the Open Era, after Serena Williams and Chris Evert, to win three consecutive US Open titles.

“You guys are the best, your respect for me is priceless,” Sabalenka told the crowd.

“I know you wanted her to win, but thank you for being so respectful to me.”

The men’s semi-finals will take place on Friday, with an all-American contest between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, while top seed Alexander Zverev will face Russia’s Karen Khachanov for the other place in the final.