Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka set up US Open final showdown
The women's singles tournament at the US Open reached its championship stage following a pair of semifinals on Thursday. The results established a clash at Flushing Meadows between the top two seeded competitors, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka.
The semifinal matches in New York delivered high drama on Arthur Ashe Stadium. According to reporting by the BBC, Sabalenka overpowered American third seed Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 to keep alive her bid to become the third woman in the Open era to win the New York singles title three times in a row. Jessica Pegula remarked after the match, as reported by The New York Post,
"I don’t know who pissed her off today… She played insane. She played [at] a super high level. Honestly, I don’t really know if there was much I could do today."
Image via wtatennis.comImage via nypost.comImage via english.mathrubhumi.com
Jessica Pegula, Player, via The New York Post
Sabalenka admitted to feeling super desperate entering the latter stages of the tournament following a turbulent middle portion of the season.
Meanwhile, the second semifinal tested the resilience of Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina. According to The New York Times, Rybakina battled a partisan pro-Gauff crowd and surrendered the opening set before mounting a gritty comeback. She ultimately defeated American fourth seed Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4, as reported by Qazinform. Rybakina explained her mindset during the turnaround, stating via the BBC,
"I took a deep breath and just told myself I needed to fight and show good tennis"
Elena Rybakina, Player, via BBC
The match carries massive historical and ranking implications. As detailed by Wtatennis, Rybakina's progression guaranteed her the World No. 1 spot in the PIF WTA Rankings, which will update on Monday. This brings a formal end to Sabalenka's 99-week tenure at the top.
Player
Seed
Semifinal Result
Grand Slam Hard-Court Streak / Milestone
Aryna Sabalenka
1
def. Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2
First player - male or female - to reach eight successive hard-court Grand Slam finals
Elena Rybakina
2
def. American fourth seed Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4
Secured World No. 1 ranking; first US Open final appearance
Historical milestones abound ahead of the championship clash. According to Mathrubhumi, Sabalenka is aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles. In addition, Wtatennis.com reports that Sabalenka holds a head-to-head edge in their prior meetings on the WTA Tour, though Rybakina captured the most recent major encounter by defeating the Belarusian in January's Australian Open final. Sabalenka's victory over Pegula also broke the Open era record for the most Grand Slam hard-court finals in a row, with the 28-year-old reaching every major final on her favoured surface since the 2023 Australian Open.
Financial stakes at Flushing Meadows remain high. Wtatennis.com notes that the singles champion will earn $5.5 million with the finalist taking home $2.8 million, part of the collective $108 million the tournament offered at this year's edition.
What to Watch Next
Match Schedule: The women's singles final will be held on Arthur Ashe Stadium at 4 p.m on Saturday, September 12.
Ranking Transition: Official WTA rankings reflecting Rybakina's takeover at World No. 1 will be published on Monday.
Championship History: Sabalenka will attempt to secure her fifth career major title and join elite company with a New York three-peat, while Rybakina targets her second Grand Slam title after winning Wimbledon in 2022 and beating Sabalenka in January's Australian Open final.
