Elena Rybakina delivered a stunning performance in New York, silencing the home crowd and halting Coco Gauff's bid for a championship, thereby securing a much‑anticipated showdown with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. The Kazakh star rallied from a set down to defeat the American favourite 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a tense semi‑final, keeping her hopes alive for a third Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows. The evening began with Gauff, buoyed by a supportive New York audience that included former first lady Michelle Obama, taking the opening set 6-3. Her powerful first serve was on point, but when it missed, her second serve, known for its heavy spin, gave Rybakina opportunities to dictate the rallies.
Gauff managed to break Rybakina’s serve in the sixth game, showcasing resilience under pressure and earning the early advantage. Rybakina, the reigning Australian Open champion, adjusted her tactics in the second set. She capitalised on a series of unforced errors from the fourth‑seeded American, breaking serve to level the match at 3-3 before pulling ahead to win the set 6-4. The Kazakh’s aggressive baseline play, combined with a string of deep, penetrating groundstrokes, forced Gauff into defensive positions and shifted the momentum.
In the deciding set, Rybakina seized control early, breaking Gauff to go up 5-3. Although Gauff fought back, breaking back to narrow the gap, she was unable to hold serve on the subsequent game, allowing Rybakina to seal the match with a final break.
After the victory, Rybakina admitted she felt the nerves of facing a player of Gauff’s calibre. "Coco is a great player.
It’s always tough to play her. Even if sometimes her first serve doesn’t go the second one is so heavy it’s difficult to dictate the rallies. I took a deep breath, tried to stay positive and just told myself I need to fight and try to show good tennis," she said. Gauff reflected on the loss with maturity, noting the support of her father and the disappointment of falling short of her goal.
"My dad came up to me and was like, you accomplished so many great things this summer, and I’m like, I don’t care about the summer. It’s the goal. I want to be a consistent player, I want to give myself as many opportunities to lift a trophy.
But, yeah, it hurts. It’s definitely a learning experience, and I hope to continue to keep putting myself in positions to hopefully win," she explained. Meanwhile, Sabalenka had already secured her place in the final by dispatching Jessica Pegula in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, earlier in the night.
The Belarusian powerhouse displayed her trademark power, firing 29 winners and serving seven aces. Her aggressive play forced Pegula into a series of costly mistakes, especially in the second set, where Sabalenka’s relentless forehand and backhand winners broke the American’s rhythm. Pegula, the third seed and 2024 runner‑up, started strongly, saving an early break point with a crisp forehand winner.
However, Sabalenka’s intensity grew as the match progressed. After a double fault in the ninth game, Sabalenka vented frustration by striking her racket on the court, a rare display of emotion that underscored the high stakes. She soon broke Pegula’s serve on set point, establishing a 3-1 lead in the second set and eventually closing the match with a decisive break at match point. Sabalenka’s achievement places her among an elite group of world No.
1 players who have reached five or more Grand Slam finals, joining legends such as Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis. This will be her ninth Grand Slam final overall and her eighth consecutive hard‑court major final, highlighting a remarkable consistency on the surface.
She entered the tournament on a 19‑match winning streak in New York and boasts a 36‑3 record at the US Open over the past five years. In her post‑match interview, Sabalenka exuded confidence. "I can say that I feel confident and I feel mentally and physically really strong right now," she said, earning applause from the partisan crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Her dominance this season includes seven top‑10 victories and back‑to‑back titles at this event, underscoring her status as the player to beat. Pegula, now 32, remains hungry for her first Grand Slam crown. She acknowledged the difficulty of facing a player in Sabalenka’s form, describing the match as "insane" and admitting that she was unsure how much she could do against such a high level of play. Looking ahead, the US Open final promises a clash of contrasting styles: Rybakina’s fluid, power‑laden baseline game versus Sabalenka’s raw, explosive force.
Both athletes have demonstrated mental toughness throughout the tournament, and the winner will claim a coveted third Grand Slam title. The final will be broadcast live on Sky Sports starting August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app. Tennis fans can also enjoy related events such as the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.