US Open: Rybakina defeats Gauff, to face Sabalenka in final

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina, who will officially become No. 1 on Monday, defeated American Coco Gauff (No. 4) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the 2026 U.S. Open semifinal.

The head-to-head score between 27-year-old Rybakina and 22-year-old Gauff was 1-1 before this semifinal, with both matches played on hard courts in Toronto. In 2022, the American won 6-4, 6-7 (8-10), 7-6 (7-3). In 2026, the Kazakhstani won 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. The match, which took place on Sept. 10 local time, also went the full three sets. Notably, Gauff again took the first set, continuing the pattern that had emerged between the two.

Unlike Gauff, Rybakina was playing her first U.S. Open semifinal and looked tentative at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the opening set. She committed 18 unforced errors and hit just one ace, compared with Gauff’s four. After dropping her serve in the sixth game, Rybakina lost the next two games on Gauff’s serve to love. The set ended 3-6, with Rybakina unable to break back.

In the second set, Rybakina managed to stabilize her game. She made fewer errors and grew in confidence. Breaking in the fourth game and holding her next service game, Rybakina took a 4-1 lead. But she then lost three games in a row, allowing Gauff to level at 4-4. Yet she still managed to seal the set, breaking in the 10th game, 6-4.

The crowded stadium loudly supported Gauff, yet Rybakina held her nerve to secure the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours, 8 minutes. Rybakina led in aces, 5-4, committed two double faults to Gauff’s four and won 88 points to her opponent’s 82.

In the final, Rybakina will face Aryna Sabalenka for the title. The Belarusian won here in both 2024 and 2025.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Damir Zhalgasbay continues his U.S. Open Juniors doubles run with American Safir Azam and has reached the semifinals. Rybakina is the only Kazakhstani player left in the tournament’s main draw.

The U.S. Open is an annual hard-court tournament and the last of the four Grand Slam events on the tennis calendar. The total prize pool for this year’s New York major is $108 million, the largest in Grand Slam history.