Coco Gauff managed to stave off two match points and ultimately secured a three‑set win 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. Gauff’s serve sputtered and her forehand vanished, allowing Andreeva to race to a 6‑2 first‑set victory in just 26 minutes. During that opening set Gauff recorded a paltry three winners while committing 14 unforced errors, a stark contrast to her usual aggressive baseline play. The tide began to turn in the second set.
Gauff steadied her nerves, found her rhythm, and forced a tiebreak. In that crucial moment, Andreeva, seeded fifth, squandered two opportunities that could have sealed the match for her. Frustrated, the Russian teenager hurled her racket toward her chair, inadvertently sending it whizzing toward a nearby camera operator who had to leap out of the way.
The incident seemed to shake Andreeva’s composure, and Gauff seized the momentum, eventually clinching the second set 7‑6 (7) after a tense tiebreak. With the match level at one set apiece, Gauff’s confidence surged. She dominated the final set 6‑2, completing a remarkable comeback. After the victory, she explained that a recent comeback by fellow American Frances Tiafoe had inspired her.
"I just had to reset," Gauff said. "I went into the restroom after the first set and thought about how Tiafoe fought back yesterday. I wanted to leave the court with no regrets, and the crowd really helped pull me through." Commentators were quick to praise Gauff’s resilience. Marion Bartoli of Sky Sports Tennis called the effort "pure heart" and noted that Gauff is one of the few players capable of turning a match around in that fashion.
Tim Henman added that both competitors displayed brilliant tennis, but errors and serving troubles made the contest tighter than the level of play might suggest. He emphasized that the ability to keep the ball in play and limit unforced mistakes is the essence of the sport, and that Andreeva will have to learn from the disappointment of having match points in the second set. On the other side of the draw, Elena Rybakina secured the world No.
1 ranking by defeating Qinwen Zheng and booking her spot in the semifinals. The 27‑year‑old Kazakhstani, who captured the Australian Open title earlier in the year, will replace Aryna Sabalenka after Sabalenka’s 99‑week reign ends on Monday.
Rybakina’s ascent to the top of the rankings has been a storyline all season, as she has chased Sabalenka’s points relentlessly. Even if Sabalenka were to win a third consecutive US Open title, Rybakina would still claim the No. 1 spot for the first time in her career.
Rybakina, speaking after her quarterfinal win, downplayed the significance of the ranking number. "It’s just a number right now," she said.
"I’m only in the semifinals, and my goal is to win every tournament I play. I need to stay focused on my game and enjoy tomorrow’s match." Her victory over Zheng was hard‑fought; after dropping the first set 3‑6, she rallied to take the next two sets 6‑1, 6‑4. Zheng, who had endured nearly 12 hours of play across three qualifying rounds and five main‑draw matches, finally showed signs of fatigue in the decisive set. Rybakina admitted the match was challenging.
"It was a very difficult match, a lot of nerves," she said. "I wasn’t at my best at the start, made too many unforced errors, but I kept fighting." Zheng, a 23‑year‑old from China, had been enjoying a run reminiscent of Emma Raducanu’s breakthrough in New York before her elbow surgery forced her ranking down to 121.
Nevertheless, she remains on the cusp of breaking back into the top 50. Tim Henman also praised Rybakina’s performance, noting that while her start was shaky—partly due to Zheng’s resistance—her response in the second and third sets was impressive. He highlighted her increased aggression from the back of the court and her composure during tight moments in the third set as evidence of her class.
The upcoming semifinal promises a clash of contrasting styles: Gauff’s youthful athleticism and tenacity against Rybakina’s powerful baseline game and newfound confidence as the world’s top‑ranked player. Both athletes have demonstrated the mental fortitude required to succeed on the biggest stages, and their encounter will likely be a defining moment in the tournament.
Fans can catch the US Open live on Sky Sports starting August 30, with streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app. The tournament’s schedule also includes the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also broadcast on Sky Sports. The excitement continues to build as the semifinals approach, and tennis enthusiasts worldwide are eager to see which of these formidable competitors will advance to the final and vie for the championship title.