Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will look to move one step closer to a third consecutive US Open title when she takes on familiar foe Jessica Pegula, while Elena Rybakina takes on home favorite Coco Gauff in the semi-finals on Thursday from midnight – live on Sky Sports Tennis.
For the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, all four top seeds at a Grand Slam have reached the semi-finals, with Sabalenka, Rybakina and Gauff all former major champions and third seed Pegula seeking a first Grand Slam title.
Sabalenka has reached the semifinals here for the sixth straight year and is now two wins away from becoming the first woman since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014 to win three straight titles in New York.
The top seed had not dropped a set before surviving her toughest test of the tournament on Tuesday, the last Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
Belarus will face a familiar opponent in third-seeded Pegula, with their rivalry returning to Flushing Meadows for the third consecutive year after Sabalenka denied the American the title in 2024 and then beat her again in last year’s semi-finals.
Does Pegula have the edge?
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Highlights of the clash between Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro
Sabalenka leads the head-to-head 9-4, but Pegula has won two of the last three meetings, including a victory in the semi-finals of the Berlin Open earlier this year in which she took the deciding set 6-0.
“I think it’s fun to watch the rivalry that we’ve had. It’s come to me here the last couple of years,” Pegula said.
“I’ve been able to beat him a few times, maybe on a smaller stage, so I think that’s going to be kind of a hurdle for me to overcome.”
Sabalenka will advance to the semifinals after surrendering the world number one ranking, which Rybakina secured with her quarterfinal victory over Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng.
The Australian Open winner will become the 30th woman to top the WTA rankings and the first from Kazakhstan to reach world No. 1 when the new rankings are released after the tournament.
Sabalenka, who had held the top spot since October 2024, said she would happily trade it for another US Open title.
“I will be more than happy,” she said. “Yeah, three-peat. Sounds good.”
The new world #1 takes on the fan favorite
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Highlights from the clash between Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva.
Rybakina’s reward for reaching the semi-finals for the first time in New York is a meeting with fan favorite Gauff, who made a stunning comeback in beat fifth seed and French Open winner Mirra Andreeva.
The 2023 US Open champion was on the verge of losing the second set before saving two match points to turn the match around.
Gauff’s win put her into the semi-finals at a second straight Slam after her run to the last four at Wimbledon, and she will have her home crowd behind her as she tries to win a second US Open title.
“Elena is playing great tennis,” Gauff said. “Congratulations to her who is the new world No. 1 or will be the new world No. I think that’s incredible.
“We played each other in Toronto. It didn’t go my way, so I think I have to learn from that game.
“I know I’m going to get hit by some aces and some winners, but I’m going to keep fighting and I’m going to give it my all.”
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Gauff and Andreeva produced an epic 39-shot rally, with the American coming out on top
A third Slam title or revenge for Gauff?
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Highlights from the quarter-final between Elena Rybakina and Qinwen Zheng
Rybakina will be vying for a third Grand Slam title, while Gauff will have revenge on her mind after the Kazakh beat her in three sets in last month’s Canadian Open semi-finals.
Playing Gauff, Rybakina said: “I would expect a lot of people to support him.
“I just have to stay aggressive. I think where I was coming from in this tournament, being injured and not training, I think we came too far. Now we just the last push and important to still enjoy. Hopefully it will go my way.”
The pair have drawn 1-1 in their previous meetings and will face off for a place in Saturday’s final.
The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Broadcast tennis without a contract in TANI AND The Sky Sports app. You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25-27 live on Sky Sports.