New York: Elena Rybakina produced a superb comeback against home favourite Coco Gauff to reach the US Open women’s singles final, where she will face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina recovered from losing the opening set to defeat fourth seed Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a tense semi-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory earned the Kazakh her first US Open final appearance and another major milestone in a remarkable season.
The second women’s semi-final saw top seed Aryna Sabalenka overcome Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2. The results have set up a high-profile final between Rybakina and Sabalenka on Saturday.
Rybakina fights back after slow start
Gauff made the stronger start and quickly put Rybakina under pressure. The American claimed the opening set 6-3, taking advantage of Rybakina’s early struggles.
However, Rybakina gradually found her rhythm. Her powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes began to trouble Gauff, while the American struggled to maintain the same level of consistency.
Rybakina took the second set 6-4 to level the contest and forced a deciding set.
The third set remained competitive, but Rybakina handled the pressure better in the crucial stages. She eventually closed out another 6-4 set to complete the comeback and secure her place in the championship match.
The result also continued Rybakina’s impressive run at the tournament. Before facing Gauff, she had beaten Qinwen Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the quarter-final after another comeback.
Rybakina becomes new world No. 1
Rybakina’s run in New York has also guaranteed her the top position in the WTA rankings.
She secured the world No. 1 ranking after reaching the semi-finals and will take over the position from Sabalenka regardless of what happens in the final. The ranking achievement adds another significant chapter to a season in which Rybakina has already won the Australian Open.
The Kazakh has now reached her fourth Grand Slam final. Her previous major titles came at Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year.
Despite the importance of becoming world No. 1, Rybakina has made it clear that winning the US Open remains her priority.
Sabalenka sets up blockbuster final
Sabalenka booked her place in the final with a convincing 7-5, 6-2 victory over third seed Jessica Pegula.
The defending champion produced an aggressive performance, using her powerful serve and baseline game to take control of the contest. The victory also kept alive her bid for a third consecutive US Open title.
Sabalenka has won the tournament for the last two years and is now one victory away from a rare three-peat. She is attempting to join an elite group of women who have won the US Open three years in a row.
The Belarusian had entered the semi-final as the world No. 1, but Rybakina’s progress means she will lose that ranking after the tournament.
Rybakina and Sabalenka set for another major battle
The final promises to be another major chapter in the rivalry between Rybakina and Sabalenka.
The two have already met in Grand Slam finals, including the Australian Open final earlier this year. Their contrasting styles should make the championship match particularly intriguing, with Rybakina relying heavily on her powerful serve and clean ball-striking while Sabalenka brings relentless aggression from the baseline.
Rybakina has also shown considerable resilience during this US Open campaign, recovering from set deficits in both her quarter-final and semi-final matches.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, enters the final with the confidence of being a two-time defending champion and will be looking to extend her dominance at Flushing Meadows.
The 2026 US Open final is scheduled for Saturday, September 12. The winner will claim the year’s final Grand Slam title, while Rybakina will remain the world No. 1 regardless of the result.
No American in the women’s final
Gauff’s defeat also means there will be no American woman in the US Open singles final.
Both Gauff and Pegula had reached the last four, giving the home crowd strong hopes of seeing an American finalist. However, Sabalenka and Rybakina ended those hopes with contrasting victories.
The absence of an American finalist is notable at a tournament that has seen strong performances from the home contingent. It also leaves the championship battle entirely between two of the leading forces in women’s tennis.
For Rybakina, however, the focus now turns to completing what could become one of the biggest achievements of her career: winning the US Open for the first time and securing a second Grand Slam title of the season.