Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will bid to move one step closer to a third straight US Open title when she faces familiar foe Jessica Pegula, while Elena Rybakina will take on home favourite 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 maiden Grand Slam title. Sabalenka has reached the semi-finals here for a sixth consecutive 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.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The top seed had not dropped a set before surviving her toughest test of the tournament on Tuesday, edging Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. The Belarusian will face a familiar opponent in third seed Pegula, with their rivalry returning to Flushing Meadows for a third straight year after Sabalenka denied the American the title in 2024 and then beat her again in last year's semi-finals. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 9-4 but Pegula has won two of their last three encounters, including a victory in the Berlin Open semi-finals earlier this year in which she took the deciding set 6-0.
"I think it's fun to look at the rivalry we've had. She's got to me here the last couple of years," Pegula said. "I have been able to beat her a few times, maybe on a smaller stage, so I think that's going to be kind of a hurdle for me to get over." Sabalenka will head into the semi-final after surrendering top spot in the world rankings, which Rybakina secured with her quarter-final 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 gladly trade it for another US Open title. "I'll be more than happy," she said.
Sounds great." The top four seeds have reached the women's singles semi-finals at a Grand Slam event for the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, and for just the second time in the Open Era at the US Open after 1975 Rybakina's reward for reaching the semi-finals for the first time in New York is a meeting with fan-favourite Gauff, who produced a stunning comeback to beat fifth seed and fellow French Open winner Mirra Andreeva. The 2023 US Open champion was on the brink of defeat in the second set before saving two match points and turning the match around. Gauff's victory put her into the semi-finals at a second straight Slam after her run to the last four at Wimbledon, and she will have the home crowd behind her as she bids to clinch a second US Open title.
"Elena is playing some great tennis," said Gauff. "Congrats to her for being the new world No 1 or will be the new World No 1. I think that's incredible.
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