Elena Rybakina advanced to her first US Open final after overcoming a shaky start to defeat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Facing a partisan New York crowd of roughly 22,000 spectators, the second-seeded player weathered an aggressive opening set from Gauff before steadying her baseline game and rediscovering her formidable serve.
Rybakina Weathers New York Storm to Edge Gauff
Hard-Court Prowess Sets Up Sabalenka Rematch
The victory marks Rybakina’s fourth career Grand Slam final appearance. Since claiming her maiden major crown at Wimbledon in 2022, all three of her subsequent championship match appearances have come on hard courts. With the win, she secures an opportunity to capture her second major title of the year in a high-stakes rematch against Aryna Sabalenka.
For Gauff, the fourth-seeded player played brilliantly during a first set that saw her cover the acrylic court with exceptional speed and draw unforced errors from her opponent. Gauff entered the match aiming to quiet doubts surrounding her service game following a grueling, double-fault-heavy comeback win over Mirra Andreeva in the previous round. While her serve held up capably in the opening stanza, her forehand ultimately proved costly under sustained pressure, yielding 15 unforced errors.
Adjusting Depth and Rediscovering the Serve
Rybakina struggled to find her rhythm early in the match, spraying errors from the baseline while her trademark serve failed to fire during the opening set. However, drawing on her experience and mental resilience, the Kazakhstani competitor adjusted her depth and began dictating rallies from the baseline as the match wore on. Her first serve notably clicked into gear during the decisive third set, denying Gauff any opportunity to mount a late comeback.
Historic Semifinal Milestone and Head-to-Head History
The semi-final showdown unfolded against the backdrop of a historic tournament milestone. This year’s US Open marked the first time in 51 years that all four top seeds reached the semi-finals of the women’s singles draw, mirroring a feat last accomplished in women’s singles at a major event during Wimbledon in 2009. Despite their prominent positions near the top of the women’s game, Rybakina and Gauff have rarely crossed paths professionally, with their meeting last month at the Canadian Open—also won in three sets by Rybakina—serving as only their second career encounter.
Overcoming Injury and Flushing Meadows Demons
Rybakina’s path to the title clash also highlights a grueling physical test. She arrived in New York managing a concerning Achilles injury sustained in the build-up to the tournament, alongside a dire record at the US Open. After surviving a tense quarter-final battle against Zheng Qinwen to keep her hopes of becoming world No 1 alive, Rybakina maintained that her primary focus remained hoisting the trophy.
With the semi-final hurdle cleared, attention turns immediately to the championship match. Rybakina will face Aryna Sabalenka in a heavyweight contest that revives the rivalry defining the season, echoing their previous meeting in the Australian Open final.
