New York, Sept 12:
Elena Rybakina battled past Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the US Open women’s final, setting up a blockbuster title clash against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
The final will bring together the top two players in women’s tennis, with Sabalenka seeking an unprecedented third consecutive US Open title and Rybakina looking to add another Grand Slam crown to her collection.
Sabalenka had earlier booked her place in the final with an emphatic 7-5, 6-2 victory over Jessica Pegula.
The Belarusian has been the dominant force at Flushing Meadows over the past two years. She has won 19 consecutive matches at the US Open since losing to Gauff in the 2023 final and will now attempt to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three successive US Open titles.
Williams completed the feat from 2012 to 2014.
Rybakina, however, has already defeated Sabalenka once this season. She beat the Belarusian in the Australian Open final and has since continued to close the gap at the top of the rankings.
The Kazakh player was guaranteed the No. 1 ranking simply by reaching the US Open semi-finals. Sabalenka had held the top position for 99 consecutive weeks but will surrender it to Rybakina after the tournament.
Against Gauff, Rybakina had to recover after losing the opening set. Gauff made an aggressive start, hitting four aces compared with Rybakina’s one and taking the first set in 38 minutes.
Rybakina then regrouped and moved ahead 4-1 in the second set. Gauff fought back to level at 4-4, but Rybakina responded by winning the next two games to level the match.
The third set followed a similar pattern of pressure and resistance. Rybakina maintained her composure when Gauff attempted another comeback and eventually closed out the match.
Gauff had reached the semi-final after another strong run at her home Grand Slam, but she could not prevent Rybakina from reaching the final.
The other semi-final was dominated by Sabalenka, who produced an overpowering performance against Pegula. Sabalenka struck 29 winners to Pegula’s 12 and took control after a closely fought opening set.
The final therefore promises a fascinating battle between Sabalenka’s power and experience at Flushing Meadows and Rybakina’s all-round game and confidence after her latest victory.
For Sabalenka, it is a chance to create more US Open history. For Rybakina, it is an opportunity to take both the trophy and the No. 1 ranking into a new era of women’s tennis.Source for the Rybakina-Sabalenka report: