For the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, and for only the second time in the Open Era at the US Open following 1975, all four top-seeded players have advanced to the women’s singles semi-finals at a Grand Slam tournament. The matches take place at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, featuring a high-stakes quartet composed of top seed Aryna Sabalenka, second seed Elena Rybakina, third seed Jessica Pegula, and fourth seed Coco Gauff.
Historic Line-Up at Flushing Meadows
The tournament features significant ranking shifts alongside historic title pursuits. By reaching the semi-finals, Rybakina secured enough points to become the new world number one on Monday, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top of the WTA rankings. Rybakina will become the 30th woman to hold the top spot and the first from Kazakhstan, according to Sky Sports. Meanwhile, the remaining competitors face distinct milestones, from Sabalenka’s bid for a three-peat to Pegula’s hunt for her maiden major championship.
Sabalenka and Pegula Renew Rivalry
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will face third seed Jessica Pegula at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, broadcast live on nytimes.com. This encounter marks the third consecutive year that their rivalry has returned to Flushing Meadows, following Sabalenka’s victory in the 2024 final and another win in the semi-finals last year. Sabalenka holds a 9-4 advantage in their career head-to-head record, though Pegula has won two of their last three encounters, including a victory in the Berlin Open semi-finals earlier in the season.
Sabalenka enters the match aiming to become just the third woman after Chris Evert and Serena Williams to win three straight US Open titles, as noted by Yahoo Sports. The two-time defending champion survived a tough quarter-final test against Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková before advancing to her sixth consecutive US Open semi-final in New York. On the other side, Pegula eliminated fellow American Emma Navarro in a three-set quarter-final lasting nearly two and a half hours, keeping alive her pursuit of a first major trophy.
Rybakina Faces Home Favorite Gauff
The second semi-final features Elena Rybakina taking on Coco Gauff at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday on nytimes.com. Rybakina earned her spot in the New York semi-finals for the first time by defeating Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng. Despite capturing the world number one ranking, Rybakina emphasized that her focus remains fixed on winning her third Grand Slam title.
Gauff advanced to the semi-finals following a dramatic comeback against fifth seed Mirra Andreeva, where the 2023 US Open champion saved two match points in the second-set tiebreak before winning in three sets. Gauff will have the backing of the home crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium as she targets a second US Open title. The pair last met in the Canadian Open semi-finals last month, where Rybakina fought back from a set down to claim victory.
Worth a look
