Elena Rybakina delivered a stunning performance in New York, silencing the home crowd and top‑seeded Coco Gauff to earn a place in what promises to be a blockbuster US Open final against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. The Kazakh star rallied from a set down to defeat the American favourite 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a tense semifinal that showcased her resilience, power, and tactical acumen.
The evening began with Gauff asserting herself early, breaking Rybakina’s serve in the sixth game and cruising to a 6-3 lead in the opening set. The American, buoyed by a passionate crowd that included former First Lady Michelle Obama, displayed her trademark aggression, forcing errors from the Kazakh and capitalising on a few unforced mistakes. Yet, despite the pressure, Rybakina remained composed, reminding herself to stay positive and fight for every point. Rybakina’s comeback started in the second set.
After a series of sloppy shots from the fourth‑seeded American, the Kazakh turned the tide, using her powerful groundstrokes to break serve and level the match at 3-3. She then seized control, breaking again to go up 5-3 and eventually taking the set 6-4. The shift in momentum was evident: Rybakina’s heavy forehands and deep, penetrating serves began to dictate the rallies, while Gauff struggled to find her rhythm. The deciding set was a battle of wills.
Rybakina surged ahead to 5-3, leveraging her superior court coverage and relentless power. Gauff managed to break back, narrowing the gap, but the Kazakh responded with a decisive service break of her own, sealing the match and confirming her spot in the championship match against Sabalenka.
In the post‑match interview, Rybakina admitted that nerves were a factor, but she focused on staying calm and positive. "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 talk positive with myself and just told myself I need to fight and try to show good tennis," she said. Gauff, visibly disappointed, reflected on the experience. "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 own semifinal victory earlier in the night, overcoming Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2.
The Belarusian champion displayed her characteristic power game, unleashing 29 winners and seven aces, and finishing the match with an unreturnable shot deep in Pegula’s court. Pegula, the third seed and 2024 runner‑up, started strongly but eventually succumbed to Sabalenka’s relentless aggression and a series of costly errors in the second set. Sabalenka’s confidence is palpable.
"I can say that I feel confident and I feel mentally and physically really strong right now," she told the media after her win, earning the admiration of the partisan crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Belarusian is on a remarkable run: a 19‑match winning streak at the US Open, a 36‑3 record over the past five years at Flushing Meadows, and the pursuit of a historic three‑peat that would place her among the elite few—Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis—who have reached five or more Grand Slam finals while holding the world No.
1 ranking. Pegula, now 32, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Sabalenka in peak form.
"I don’t know who p***** her off today – hopefully it wasn’t me totally, but it might have been – I don’t know. She played insane. She played a super‑high level. Honestly, I don’t really know if there was much I could do today," she admitted, underscoring the challenge of breaking through against a player in such dominant condition.
Looking ahead, the final promises a clash of contrasting styles: Rybakina’s aggressive baseline play and powerful serve against Sabalenka’s relentless pace and mental fortitude. Both athletes have demonstrated the ability to raise their level under pressure, and tennis fans can expect a high‑octane encounter that could decide whether Sabalenka completes an unprecedented three‑peat or Rybakina adds a second Grand Slam title to her résumé.
The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app. For those unable to watch the match, highlights and analysis will be accessible across multiple platforms, ensuring that the drama of this historic semifinal—and the anticipated final—reaches a global audience.