Coco Gauff managed to stave off two match points and ultimately secured a three‑set triumph over teenage French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, earning a place in the semifinals where she will meet the freshly crowned world No. 1, Elena Rybakina.
The match began disastrously for the 2023 US Open champion, whose serve and forehand fell flat, allowing Andreeva to capture the opening set in a brisk 26 minutes. Gauff produced only three winners while committing 14 unforced errors, a stark contrast to her usual aggressive baseline play. The second set saw a dramatic shift in momentum.
Gauff steadied her game, forcing the set into a tiebreak. During that critical juncture, the Russian fifth seed, Andreeva, missed two key opportunities that could have sealed the match for her. Frustrated, Andreeva threw her racket toward her chair, inadvertently sending it spinning toward a nearby camera operator who had to leap out of the way. The incident seemed to sap her confidence, and Gauff capitalized, pulling ahead to win the tiebreak 7‑6 (7) and then cruising to a 6‑2 victory in the third set.
After the match, Gauff explained that she drew inspiration from a fellow American’s recent comeback. "I just had to reset," she said.
"I came out at the start not feeling the ball, giving her too many free points. Mirra was playing at a great level, but after the first set I went to the restroom and thought about Frances Tiafoe’s comeback yesterday.
We all want to perform well for this crowd. I wanted to leave the court with no regrets, and the support from the fans really helped pull me through." Commentators from Sky Sports Tennis weighed in on the performance.
Marion Bartoli praised Gauff’s resilience, stating, "That was pure heart – she found a way, regardless of the level of play. It doesn’t matter how you’re feeling; you have to find a solution on the day. She’s one of the few players in the world capable of winning a match like that." Tim Henman added, "It was amazing to watch because both players are brilliant, but serving issues and unforced errors made them nervous. The ball speed dropped, but that’s the beauty of tennis – you have to keep the ball in play and cut out the avoidable mistakes.
Andreeva will find it hard to move past this loss after having match points in the second set, but she will learn a lot from the experience." Earlier in the tournament, Elena Rybakina secured the world No. 1 ranking by defeating Qinwen Zheng, guaranteeing her a spot in the semifinals. The 27‑year‑old Kazakhstani will replace Aryna Sabalenka, whose 99‑week reign at the top ends on Monday.
Rybakina, the Australian Open champion, has been chasing Sabalenka all season and will claim the No. 1 position for the first time in her career even if Sabalenka goes on to win a third consecutive US Open title. Rybakina spoke modestly about her new ranking, saying, "It’s just a number right now.
I’m only in the semis, and my goal is to win every tournament I play. I just need to focus on my game and enjoy tomorrow." She dropped a set for the first time this fortnight but rebounded strongly in the second set against Zheng. Zheng, who endured nearly 12 hours on court across three qualifying matches and five main‑draw rounds, finally showed fatigue in the deciding set as Rybakina prevailed 3‑6, 6‑1, 6‑4.
Rybakina reflected on the match, "It was a very difficult match, lots of nerves, maybe not the highest level but I’m glad I pushed through. I started too negatively and made a lot of unforced errors, but I told myself to keep fighting." Zheng, who had been enjoying an Emma Raducanu‑style surge in New York, saw her run end despite a promising campaign. The 23‑year‑old Chinese player, who recently underwent elbow surgery, is now on the cusp of breaking back into the top 50 after slipping to 121.
Tim Henman also praised Rybakina’s performance, noting, "It ended up being a really good performance. It wasn’t the best start for Rybakina – Zheng contributed to that – but the way she responded in the second and third sets was impressive.
She became more aggressive from the back of the court, and in the tight moments of the third set she really displayed her class." The upcoming semifinal promises a clash of contrasting styles: Gauff’s athleticism and fighting spirit against Rybakina’s power and poise. Both players have demonstrated the ability to adapt under pressure, and the match will likely hinge on who can maintain composure during crucial points. Gauff’s recent comeback suggests she can thrive when the odds are against her, while Rybakina’s ascent to world No.
1 underscores her consistency and mental toughness throughout the tournament. Fans can catch the US Open live on Sky Sports starting August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports App.
The tournament will continue to deliver high‑stakes drama as the remaining contenders vie for the coveted title, and the Gauff‑Rybakina semifinal is poised to be one of the marquee matchups of the event.