The semifinals of the 2026 US Open are set, featuring the tournament’s top four seeds after a series of gripping matches. Coco Gauff, ranked No. 4 in the world, secured her spot by overcoming No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva in a hard-fought three-set encounter, setting up a showdown with the newly crowned No. 1, Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina’s rise to the top spot was confirmed following her impressive victory over qualifier Qinwen Zheng, which ended the 99-week reign of former No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. This milestone marks Rybakina’s first time holding the world No. 1 ranking, adding fresh intrigue to the closing stages of the tournament.
Coco Gauff displayed remarkable resilience to extend her winning streak to 11 matches. After dropping the first set 3-6, she battled through a tense second-set tiebreak before clinching the final set 6-3. As the 2023 US Open champion, Gauff returns to the semifinals with the advantage of playing on home soil, ready to challenge Rybakina for a place in the final.
Sabalenka and Pegula Renew Rivalry in Other Semifinal
The other semifinal features a rematch of the 2024 US Open final as back-to-back defending champion Aryna Sabalenka faces No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula. Sabalenka holds a 9-4 lead in their head-to-head meetings and has advanced to an unprecedented sixth consecutive US Open semifinal by overcoming Wimbledon champion No. 6 Linda Nosková.
Jessica Pegula, meanwhile, earned her spot by edging past No. 27 seed Emma Navarro in a closely contested three-set duel. Sabalenka expressed her enthusiasm for the matchup, highlighting the competitive nature of their encounters and her affinity for performing under pressure.
The 2026 US Open semifinals are scheduled to begin today at 7 PM ET, with live coverage available on ESPN.