Rybakina Sets Up US Open Final Clash With Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will compete in Saturday’s US Open women’s singles final following semi-final victories in New York. Rybakina recovered from a set down to beat fourth seed Coco Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4, while top seed Sabalenka defeated third seed Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2. The results ensure Rybakina will end Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top of the world rankings on Monday.

Rybakina Overcomes Gauff in Three Sets

Rybakina, the 27-year-old second seed representing Kazakhstan, rallied against home favorite Gauff after dropping the opening set and being broken while serving for the match in the decider. Before this tournament, Rybakina had never progressed past the fourth round at the US Open.

Addressing her mindset during the match, Rybakina said, “I took a deep breath and just told myself I needed to fight.” Looking ahead to the final, she added, “I definitely need to step my game up.”

Rybakina is seeking her third career Grand Slam title after winning Wimbledon in 2022 and defeating Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January. Although she is guaranteed to assume the world number one spot when the WTA rankings update, Rybakina emphasized prior to the semi-final that “It’s just a number right now,” adding that her primary focus remains winning tournaments.

Sabalenka Extends Hard-Court Streak

Sabalenka, 28, secured her place in the final with a straight-sets win over Pegula, delivering 29 winners to the American’s 12. The victory makes the Belarusian the first player in the Open era—male or female—to reach eight consecutive hard-court Grand Slam finals, a streak dating back to the 2023 Australian Open.

Sabalenka is aiming to become the third woman in the Open era to win three consecutive US Open singles titles. She has lost only one set during the tournament so far, regaining form after early exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier this season.

“I was super desperate,” Sabalenka said of her campaign, adding, “I wanted it badly to go to the finals.” Pegula, 32, acknowledged Sabalenka’s dominant form, stating, “I do think she probably would have beaten 99% of people.”

First Top-Two Seed Final Since 2013

Saturday’s match marks the first time the top two seeds have contested the US Open women’s final since Serena Williams defeated Victoria Azarenka in 2013.

Sabalenka leads the overall head-to-head record between the two players with 10 wins from 17 matches, including victories over Rybakina at Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year. However, Rybakina won their most recent major meeting at the Australian Open in January after overcoming a 3-0 deficit in the final set. Rybakina’s only career loss in three previous Grand Slam final appearances was against Sabalenka at the 2023 Australian Open.

Background

The US Open is the final Grand Slam event of the annual tennis calendar, held on hard courts at Flushing Meadows in New York. The WTA world rankings evaluate player performances over a rolling 52-week window to determine official standings.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have established a prominent rivalry at the top of women’s tennis, frequently contesting finals at major tournaments and WTA 1000 events. Sabalenka had held the world number one ranking continuously for nearly two years prior to the conclusion of this tournament.