Elena Rybakina delivered a stunning performance in New York, silencing the home crowd and top‑seeded American Coco Gauff to earn a place in what promises to be a headline‑grabbing US Open final against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. The Kazakh star, who had already captured the Australian Open title earlier this year, displayed resilience and power to reverse a one‑set deficit and claim the semi‑final match 3‑6, 6‑4, 6‑4, securing her third Grand Slam final appearance and keeping her hopes of a first US Open crown alive.
The semi‑final clash began with Gauff, buoyed by an enthusiastic New York audience that included former First Lady Michelle Obama, taking the opening set 6‑3. Her aggressive first serve, though occasionally faltering, was quickly followed by a heavy second serve that forced Rybakina onto the defensive. Gauff capitalised on early nerves from the Kazakh, breaking in the sixth game and maintaining her lead through a series of crisp winners.
Yet, despite the pressure, Rybakina remained composed, reminding herself to stay positive and fight for each point. "Of course there were nerves," Rybakina admitted in the post‑match interview. "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." Her calm self‑talk proved decisive as she began to turn the tide in the second set. Rybakina seized the momentum by exploiting a few uncharacteristic errors from the fourth‑seeded American.
She increased the depth of her groundstrokes, forced longer rallies, and began to dictate play with her powerful forehand. The Kazakh broke Gauff’s serve to move ahead 5‑3, and although Gauff fought back, breaking once herself, she could not sustain the comeback. Rybakina held her nerve, broke again at a crucial juncture, and closed out the match with a decisive break in the final game, sealing a 6‑4 victory in the third set.
Gauff, visibly disappointed, reflected on the loss with maturity. "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," she said.
"But, I mean, 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." Her remarks underscored the emotional weight of competing on home soil and the thin margin between triumph and defeat at this elite level. On the other side of the draw, Aryna Sabalenka confirmed her status as the tournament favourite by dispatching Jessica Pegula in straight sets, 7‑5, 6‑2. The Belarusian powerhouse unleashed a barrage of 29 winners and seven aces, overwhelming Pegula with relentless aggression.
Sabalenka’s forehand and backhand were both on fire, and she capped the match with an unreturnable shot deep in Pegula’s court, sealing her victory and setting up a potential three‑peat at Flushing Meadows. Pegula, who entered the tournament as the third seed and a former US Open finalist, started strongly, saving an early break point with a crisp forehand winner. However, Sabalenka’s relentless pressure soon forced errors, and a double fault in the ninth game saw the Belarusian lose composure momentarily, even smashing her racket in frustration. She quickly recovered, breaking Pegula’s serve at a pivotal moment in the first set and later extending her lead to 3‑1 in the second set with a decisive forehand winner on break point.
Pegula’s attempts to regain footing were thwarted by Sabalenka’s powerful baseline play, and the defending champion closed the match on match point. Sabalenka’s run to the final adds another chapter to her remarkable career. Since 1988, only a handful of world No.
1 players—Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis—have reached five or more Grand Slam finals. Sabalenka now joins that elite group, appearing in her ninth major final and riding a 19‑match winning streak at the US Open. Her record over the past five years at Flushing Meadows stands at an impressive 36‑3, and she has reached eight consecutive hard‑court major finals, underscoring her dominance on this surface.
When asked about her form, Sabalenka expressed confidence: "I can say that I feel confident and I feel mentally and physically really strong right now," she told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Her poise and power have earned the respect of the partisan New York fans, who have embraced her as a formidable opponent for Rybakina.
Pegula, now 32, remains hungry for her first Grand Slam title. She acknowledged the daunting challenge presented by Sabalenka, noting, "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." Her candid assessment reflects the respect she holds for Sabalenka’s current form. Looking ahead, the final promises a clash of contrasting styles: Rybakina’s blend of power, tactical precision, and mental resilience against Sabalenka’s relentless aggression and unmatched consistency.
Both athletes have demonstrated the ability to dominate opponents with deep, penetrating groundstrokes and an unyielding will to win. Tennis analysts predict a high‑octane encounter that could decide whether Sabalenka secures a historic three‑peat or if Rybakina can claim her first US Open crown. Fans worldwide can catch the showdown live on Sky Sports, with streaming options available via NOW and the Sky Sports app, ensuring that the drama of Flushing Meadows reaches a global audience. The US Open continues to deliver unforgettable moments, and this upcoming final is poised to become one of the tournament’s most memorable chapters.