NEW YORK — Elena Rybakina refused to let a slow start derail her US Open campaign.
The Kazakh star rallied from a set down to defeat American favorite Coco Gauff, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4, on Thursday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, punching her ticket to the 2026 US Open women’s singles final.
Waiting on the other side will be defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier defeated Jessica Pegula 7–5, 6–2 to reach her fourth consecutive US Open final.
The championship clash is now set: Rybakina vs. Sabalenka, two of the biggest power hitters in women’s tennis, with far more than a Grand Slam trophy on the line.
Rybakina turns the match around
Gauff came out firing in front of a packed New York crowd and captured the opening set 6–3.
But Rybakina gradually took control.
The 27-year-old Kazakh tightened up her serve and began putting greater pressure on Gauff’s forehand. Gauff’s errors mounted as the match progressed, allowing Rybakina to level the contest by taking the second set 6–4.
The deciding set followed the same pattern.
Gauff fought back and produced a late break to keep the match alive, but Rybakina held her nerve and closed out the victory 6–4. The result sent her into her first US Open final.
The win also continued an extraordinary stretch against American opponents: according to AS, Rybakina has now won 19 straight matches against U.S. players.
A new No. 1 is already guaranteed
Rybakina’s US Open run has delivered another major milestone even before the final.
Her quarterfinal victory over Zheng Qinwen guaranteed that she would become the new WTA world No. 1, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top.
That means the US Open final will have an unusual dynamic.
Sabalenka is the reigning champion and currently holds the top spot, but Rybakina will take over at No. 1 regardless of what happens in the final.
Now the Kazakh star has the opportunity to celebrate her promotion to No. 1 with another Grand Slam trophy.
Sabalenka is chasing history
Sabalenka’s route to the final was considerably more straightforward.
The Belarusian defeated third-seeded American Jessica Pegula 7–5, 6–2 in just 80 minutes, producing 29 winners and seven aces along the way.
The victory puts Sabalenka within one win of an extraordinary achievement: a third consecutive US Open title.
She is also appearing in her fourth straight US Open final, extending one of the most remarkable stretches of consistency in modern women’s tennis. Reuters reported that Sabalenka has reached eight consecutive hard-court Grand Slam finals dating back to the 2023 Australian Open.
For a player who admitted earlier in the season that she had struggled with confidence and desperation, her New York resurgence has been dramatic.
Another chapter in a growing rivalry
The final is more than a clash between the new No. 1 and the defending champion.
Rybakina and Sabalenka have already developed one of the most compelling rivalries on the women’s tour.
They have met three times in 2026, including major finals, with their Australian Open meeting producing a three-set Rybakina victory and Sabalenka later getting revenge at Indian Wells.
Their contrasting strengths make the matchup particularly explosive.
Rybakina’s powerful serve and clean ball-striking will face Sabalenka’s relentless baseline aggression and ability to overwhelm opponents with pace.
And this time, the stakes are even higher.
Rybakina is chasing her third Grand Slam title and first US Open crown.
Sabalenka is chasing history.
Gauff’s US Open run ends painfully
For Gauff, the defeat brings a disappointing end to a promising New York campaign.
The 22-year-old American had survived a dramatic quarterfinal against Mirra Andreeva, recovering from a set down and saving two match points before winning 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2.
Against Rybakina, however, she could not produce another comeback.
Her semifinal loss also means there will be no American woman in a Grand Slam singles final in 2026, according to Reuters—a notable development given the strength of the U.S. women’s contingent.
One final battle remains
Now everything is set for Saturday.
Rybakina arrives with momentum, a new No. 1 ranking and the chance to add another major title to her collection.
Sabalenka arrives as the defending champion, riding a resurgence that has put her one victory away from a historic US Open three-peat.
One player is trying to reclaim the biggest trophy in New York.
The other is trying to make history.
And when Rybakina and Sabalenka meet again, the question will no longer be who is the world’s No. 1—it will be who gets to leave New York holding the US Open trophy.
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