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Rybakina Beats Gauff to Reach the US Open Final vs. Sabalenka

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Elena Rybakina serves during a Women’s Singles match on Day Five of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Manuela Davies/USTA)

(September 10, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – The new No. 1 as of Monday will be playing the current No. 1 in the US Open Women’s Final on Saturday. Elena Rybakina rallied past Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first US Open final.

“Amazing match,” said Rybakina. “Very close match. Super happy, proud. So, yeah, I don’t know, can’t find other words, but definitely very happy and proud.”

“I feel like it was a great match, and of course, a lot of people today wanted Coco to win. It’s normal. I think everyone understands.

“In the beginning I felt like it was a very nice atmosphere, and only in the end when I was up in the third set crowd really supported a lot Coco. But I tried to focus on myself, tried to not listen.

“Yeah, I feel like for me it was also first match on Ashe at night. I enjoyed the atmosphere even if the crowd mostly was for Coco.”

“I think she played really well,” said Gauff. “I thought it was a good match, and it honestly came down to a couple of service games of mine in both sets and I didn’t quite hold.

“I mean, I have to look back and see what happens, but she does a great job of just being there every point and putting a lot of pressure on you on service game and return game. So, yeah, I think she was able to hold, like, the line a bit better than I could tonight.”

As for play Sabalenka, “we played many times. We practiced also before. She’s a very aggressive player. It’s difficult to play with her, mentally, physically, because she has big game, big serve.

“I will need to come with all the energy I will have, bring my best serve against Aryna and, yeah, make the right decisions in the right moment, because most of the times it’s tight, tight score. This is where the decision makes a difference.

“Yeah, we will see what’s going to happen, but I definitely will try my best and give it all.”

Rybakina beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January.

“It’s important match, and since it’s a final, it’s honestly, I feel like it doesn’t matter who is on the other side,” said Rybakina in her media conference. “You just want to win and do your best.

“But also, I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, because we are all very close in the ranking. Even if something goes wrong in the final, I still have another opportunities, another tournaments until the end of the year.

“We push each other when we play these matches, and you clearly can see on what you need to work more. I think that’s great that you play against someone who pushes you till the limits.”

More to follow…

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Aryna Sabalenka Reaches Fourth Consecutive US Open Final with Win Over Jessica Pegula

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Aryna Sabalenka in action during a Women’s Singles semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA)

(September 10, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Aryna Sabalenka has reached her fourth consecutive US Open final with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. She will play the winner of the other semifinal Coco Gauff vs. Elena Rybakina.

The No. 3 Pegula said that Sabalenka “probably the best match she’s played this year. I mean, I thought her level was insanely high.

“Maybe she felt a little bit off at the beginning, but I feel like we were both playing well, serving well. Then, yeah, I don’t know who pissed her off today, but she — hopefully it wasn’t me totally, but 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.”

“I’m super happy that I was able to play on such high level, especially against Jess,” Sabalenka said. “In the last matches we played, she’s been able to push me so far, and it was really tough to get a win against her.

“To get this win in straight sets today really impressed me, to be honest. I’m really happy.”

“Think I had some chances, and then it just seemed like she kept finding ways to hit some really good shots on big points, good second serves,” Pegula said in her media conference.

“I mean, I know she double-faulted maybe a few times, but still, she was hitting like the back of the lines on her second serves, pushing me back. I honestly don’t know if she missed a backhand the entire match. Like, I really want to check. I don’t think she missed a backhand. Maybe a few backhand returns at the beginning, and then she just dialed it in.

“Even the break point, I hit a good return, and she just rips a forehand cross. Yeah, it was rough today.

“Yeah, I did my best. I thought I didn’t play bad. I think I’ve actually played worse against her before, but I think that level was probably the highest I’ve seen from her, considering I don’t think I played bad at all.”

“I was super desperate, Sabalenka admitted. “I lost tough match on grass against Jess, and I wasn’t really performing well in the middle part of the season. So it kind of like feels for me, talking about Grand Slams, like a last push of the season. I wanted it badly to go to the finals, and of course, I want to go all the way.

“The mentality was just I’m ready. I’m ready for whatever it’s going to take to get the win.”

As for her next opponent, either Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina, the top seed said” Well, both are incredible players, and I had really big finals against both this year.

“If it’s Elena, it’s going to be a really — it’s going to be really tough match. She’s a big server. She really improved over the years on the baseline game, so it’s going to be physically and mentally tough match.

“But, as I said, I’m ready for the fight. I’m ready to do everything to get the win, so I’m excited for that match.

“If it’s going to be Coco, I need my revenge for the US Open — I don’t remember when which year it was, but I need my revenge. She’s a challenging player as well. She’s moving well. She’s serving much better. She really makes you work for every point.

“I love that challenge. I love that physical challenge playing against Coco, and I’m also excited facing her.”

Sabalenka has now won 19 straight matches at the US Open.

More to follow…

Jessica Pegula hits a backhand during a Women’s Singles match on Day One of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday, August 30, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/USTA)

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Survive and Advance: Coco Gauff Saves Match Points in Quarterfinal Win over Mirra Andreeva

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Coco Gauff in action during a Women’s Singles match on Day Seven of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Saturday, September 5, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA)

(September 9, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY- Coco Gauff made a great escape in her quarterfinal match against Mirra Andreeva, 19 on Wednesday afternoon. The World No. 4 saved two match points in the second-set tiebreak to defeat No. 5 Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

In a contest between the two most recent French Open champions, Gauff, 22 came back from a horrific start and advanced to the semifinals of the US Open for the second time in her career.

Andreeva rushed out to a 4-0 lead in the first set, a combination of the Russian’s great play and Gauff’s errors and poor serving.

“It was a slow start.” Gauff said in her media conference. “I mean, I thought Mirra was playing a great level to come out, wasn’t really making a lot of mistakes, and forcing me into some errors.

“I think I was also, like, giving away points too sometimes or trying to end the point early, because I felt the pressure from her.

“I was able to reset and somehow get out of that one.”

Gauff was on the rebound in the second set, serving for it at 5-3, but her 8 double faults in the set set her back, and Andreeva was able to break serve and level the set. In the second-set tiebreak, Andreeva had two match points, but her own errors and Gauff’s more aggressive play pushed her to take the set 7-6(7).

Gauff said that she was inspired by Frances Tiafoe’s comeback win on Tuesday.

“I think Frances was looking — I was watching the end of that set, and it looked like he was down and out. And sometimes you just need a chance, and I think I got my chances today.

“I was just really determined to not lose that second set, because I felt like I worked so hard to give myself opportunities and lost them.

“Honestly, I didn’t know how the third set would go, but I was just really focused on trying not to lose that second set and keep it competitive. You know, one point turned into another. Honestly, once the third set started, I felt pretty confident that I was going to come out with that one.

“Yeah, I mean, sometimes you just need a little bit of inspiration, and Frances was that for me in that moment.”

“I think Frances is such a light and such a joy to have on tour. Always been so nice and just hyping me up and my family up.

“He’s a special type of person, and I think that everybody, almost everybody on tour, can agree that he’s one of the few players who is always lighting up the room and giving respect towards, especially us women too, like hyping us up.

“I think that’s something really special. He’s a rare person in this world and in this sport. I think, you know, hopefully everybody recognizes that.”

Mirra Andreeva in action during a Women’s Singles match on Day Seven of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Saturday, September 5, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/USTA)

Andreeva talked about what she could have done to win. “Maybe risk more, I guess. I think at that moment I kind of just wanted to play, you know, wanted to make a rally, a longer point. So I think that if I maybe would have gone for something more risky to see what would have happened, maybe that would be the only thing that I would change.”

“I think she’s just more patient than me in a way that, you know, at some moments she makes less mistakes, and obviously she gets a lot of balls back, which I think after, I’m the one that’s trying to rush and make more mistakes than her.

“So I think something to also see and take to account for the next matches that I will play against her.”

Gauff, seeking her second US Open title, will play Elena Rybakina for a spot in the final.

“Elena is playing some great tennis,” said Gauff, “You know, congrats to her for being the new World No. 1 or will be the new World No. 1. I think that’s incredible.

“We played each other in Toronto. You know, didn’t go my way, so I think I just have to learn from that match.

“I know I’m going to have some aces hit on me and some winners hit on me, but I’m going to keep fighting and give it my all. That’s all I can do.”

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Elena Rybakina secures World No. 1 as She Advances to the First US Open Final Four with a Three-Set Win over Qinwen Zheng

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Elena Rybakina serves during a Women’s Singles match on Day Five of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Manuela Davies/USTA)

(September 9, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY- No. 2 Elena Rybakina will become the new No. 1 player on the WTA Tour as of Monday by virtue of reaching her first semifinal at the US Open on Wednesday, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. She defeated Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng, coming into the tournament through the qualifying draw.

“Very difficult match,” said the new No. 1. “Very stressful. Didn’t start my best and found a way in the end. Super happy.

“Yeah, a lot of thoughts was going through the head in the beginning, but glad that I managed to find a way.”

Zheng, ranked at 121 before the tournament, came into the main draw through the qualifying after being off the tour for a time due to elbow surgeries.

Zheng dug out of 0-30 and saved three break points to hold serve to close the first set 6-3.

Rybakina, 27, from Kazakhstan, reversed course and broke Zheng’s serve twice to dominate the second set 6-1.

Zheng had a break point at 5-3 in the third set, but Rybakina held firm to hold serve. Rybakina broke the Chinese woman’s serve in the next game and served out the match to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Qinwen Zheng hits a backhand during a Women’s Singles match on Day Five of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo Q. Zheng
Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA

Asked about what she could have done to win, Zheng said to the media: “Well, obviously I think that passing shot I miss make some difference, and of course I think maybe when she serve second serve, I could be more aggressive sometimes and make a bit less mistake in the return, because when the rally gets long, I think is where I get more points.

“I mean, today is just few points makes the different. That’s it. I have nothing to say.”

Despite the loss, Zheng looked towards the positive, she came all the way from the qualifying tournament to the quarterfinals: “I think the good thing is I know how to compete better than before than the beginning of the year. In the beginning of the year, I was a bit totally out of tournament, like, rhythm, and obviously this tournament helps me to find myself little by little.

“In the match just today I think there is lot to learn when I lost, because there are some decisions in important moment I wasn’t doing right. It was also very physical match for me. She got a great serve, and I think I have to be really focused to return every single time.

“In general, I could take some positive things, and the rest I could go back and to do what I can do better.”

“I think tennis also gives me a lesson all the time that as soon as the match is not over, you just have to keep fighting, because you never know what can happen one tennis game.

“Second things is I think there are so much more I still have on myself to improve. That’s the positive things.”

The new No. 1 on her top spot in the rankings: “Well, it means a lot, of course, but as I was saying before, I don’t think about it so much. It’s a great achievement, and I feel like you will appreciate and think about it even more when you finish your career.

“Like now, you still need to keep on going, and it’s nice whenever you’re done to say, Okay, I won these tournaments, I’ve been No. 1, it’s amazing, but right now it’s great. You never know how long you’re going to stay. It’s still many things. I want to win the titles still in the tournaments, so all my thoughts are just for the next match.”

“It’s a different achievement, and I feel like you’re going for the titles more, and then ranking, it might follow up, maybe not,” She added.

“But mostly you think about the titles in the end of the day, and I’m glad I have two right now. I try my best to win here. If not, of course I will have other chances.

“But it will be nice to say, Okay, I’ve won, I don’t know, three out of four if it’s going to be this time here. If not, I feel like every time, all the results, all the achievements, you really appreciate and you can reflect only a little bit later, not in the moment when everything is happening.”

“It’s history, and I’m very proud representing Kazakhstan.”

Rybakina will play No. 4 Coco Gauff.

“If I play Coco, of course I will expect that a lot of people going to support her. It’s normal,” Rybakina said during her media conference.

“We practiced many times. We played recently also, so we know each other.

“Again, I just need to stay aggressive. Try not my emotions not let me play, and yeah, just enjoy. I think from where I was coming to this tournament, being injured and not practicing, I think we came pretty far.

“Now we just last pushes and important to still enjoy. Yeah, hopefully it’s going to go my way.”

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‘Open for All Day’ to Feature Free Grounds Admission to the US Open on Thursday, September 10

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From the – USTA FLUSHING, N.Y., September 9, 2026 — The US Open will offer free grounds admission to the public on Thursday, September 10, as part of its annual ‘Open for All Day’ celebration. No ticket or Fan Access Pass is required to come to the US Open from the time gates open at 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., when tickets for the women’s singles semifinals will start being scanned. 

Nearly 50 US Open matches will be played throughout the day that are free to attend, including: 

Men’s Doubles Semifinals

Junior Singles and Doubles Quarterfinals

Wheelchair Singles Quarterfinals and Doubles Semifinals
Quad Wheelchair Singles Quarterfinals and Doubles Semifinals
Junior Wheelchair Singles and Doubles Semifinals

Para-Standing Invitational

*Entry is granted on a rolling basis subject to real-time capacity.

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