Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will look to move one step closer to winning her third consecutive US Open title when she faces familiar rival Jessica Pegula in the semifinals on Friday, while Elena Rybakina plays home favorite Coco Gauff in the other semifinal match.
For the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, the top four seeds have advanced to the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament. Sabalenka, Rybakina, and Gauff have all previously won Grand Slam titles, while third seed Pegula is seeking her first Grand Slam trophy.
Sabalenka has reached the US Open semifinals for the sixth consecutive year and is now just two wins away from becoming the first woman to win three straight titles in New York since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014.
The Belarusian has not dropped a set prior to overcoming her toughest test of the tournament on Tuesday, narrowly defeating Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.
The 28-year-old will face third seed and rival Pegula, as their rivalry returns to the Flushing Meadows courts for the third consecutive year. Sabalenka denied the American the title in 2024 before defeating her again in last year's semifinals.
Sabalenka leads their head-to-head record 9-4, but Pegula has won two of their last three matches, including a victory in the Berlin Open semifinals earlier this year after winning the deciding set 6-0.
"I think it's fun to look at how competitive we've been," Pegula said. "She beat me here the last two years, and I've managed to beat her a few times, maybe on a smaller stage; so I think this will be a hurdle I need to overcome."
Pegula advanced after coming from behind to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 against fellow American Emma Navarro, reaching a Grand Slam semifinal for the second time this year following the Australian Open.
The 32-year-old has also reached five finals this season, the highest total on the WTA Tour.
Sabalenka will play tomorrow's semifinal match after losing the world No. 1 ranking, which Rybakina secured with a quarterfinal victory over Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday.
The Australian Open champion will become the 30th player 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 the No. 1 ranking for another US Open title. "I would be more than happy," she added. "Yeah, winning the title for the third time in a row sounds amazing."
Rybakina's reward for reaching her first semifinal in New York is a matchup against crowd favorite Gauff, who staged a dramatic comeback to defeat fifth seed and fellow French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6, 6-2.
The 2023 US Open champion was on the verge of defeat in the second set before saving two match points and turning the tide in her favor.
With this victory, Gauff reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the second consecutive time, following her run to the same stage at Wimbledon, and she will enjoy the support of the home crowd in her quest for a second US Open title.
Rybakina will seek her third Grand Slam title, while Gauff aims for revenge after the Kazakhstani player defeated her in three sets in the Canadian Open semifinals last month.
Each player has won one match against the other in their two previous meetings, and they will face off to compete for a spot in Saturday's final.
