Elena Rybakina beats Coco Gauff to book US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka

NEW YORK – Elena Rybakina overpowered Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a fierce US Open semi-final on Sept 10 to secure a title showdown with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and stay on course for a third Grand Slam crown.

After ensuring she will dethrone Sabalenka and leave Flushing Meadows as the world No. 1, Rybakina can also deny the Belarusian a third straight title in New York if she prevails in the showpiece on Sept 12.

Gauff absorbed relentless pressure and stayed strong from the back to draw errors from the Kazakh, breaking in the sixth game and taking the opening set in front of a roaring crowd that included former US first lady Michelle Obama.

“I felt in the first set that it was a very good start and it was one break, but of course, there are nerves,” a relieved Rybakina said on court.

“Coco’s a great player, it’s always tough to play against her... it’s very difficult to dictate the rallies. I just took a deep breath and just had a positive talk with myself to try and show some good tennis.”

Rybakina stayed cool and capitalised on some sloppy play by the fourth-seeded American in the second set to level the match at one set apiece and silence the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, before ramping up the intensity in the decider.

The 27-year-old gained control with her power and broke to go 5-3 ahead in the decider, before Gauff hit back with a break of her own. But the American’s comeback bid faltered when she could not hold serve and Rybakina broke to close out the win.

Gauff’s defeat, coupled with that of compatriot Jessica Pegula in the earlier semi-final, means no American woman will have played in a Grand Slam final in 2026, marking the first time this has happened since 2006.

Sabalenka defeated Pegula 7-5, 6-2, moving one win away from a rare third consecutive title at the hard-court Grand Slam.

The top seed simmered with frustration early in the match before finding her best level, sending over 29 winners and seven aces before closing it out with an unreturnable shot deep in the American’s territory.

Third-seed Pegula, runner-up in 2024, had no answer to the Belarusian’s power and allowed costly mistakes to creep into her game in the second set.

“I was so desperate for the win, I wanted it badly,” said Sabalenka, who will feature in the title match for a fourth straight year.

Pegula saved an early break point with a fine forehand winner, while Sabalenka showed signs of frustration, whacking her racket on the court after a double fault in the ninth game.

The defending champion threw her racket to the ground as Pegula held her serve in the 10th, but hit her stride to break her opponent from the baseline on set point.

Sabalenka used her best weapon to her advantage again to go up 3-1 in the second set, firing off a forehand winner from the baseline on break point, and sealed the match with another break.

“I felt like whatever decision I would make, it is the right decision,” said Sabalenka, who lost in her last encounter against Pegula at the Berlin semi-finals in June.

“I would definitely say that against Jess, probably today, compared with the last matches we played, it was definitely the better level from me.”

If she hoists the trophy on Sept 12, Sabalenka would become the first to “three-peat” at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams picked up her third title in a row 12 years ago. The Belarusian would join Williams and Chris Evert as the only women to achieve the feat in the Open Era. REUTERS