What we know about Rybakina beats Gauff to book US Open final against Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina staged a resilient comeback on Thursday, overcoming a one-set deficit to defeat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. This victory secures her place in the US Open championship match, where she is set to face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. By reaching the semi-finals, Rybakina had already effectively ended Sabalenka’s reign as the world number one, and she now aims to deliver a further blow in Saturday’s final.

Match progression and momentum shifts

Gauff initially appeared in command, seeking her first return to the final since her 2023 title win against Sabalenka. The American broke serve to lead 4-2 in the opening set, holding to love for a 5-2 advantage before closing out the set. However, the momentum shifted early in the second set as Rybakina secured an early break to establish a 3-1 lead, extending it to 4-1. Although Gauff fought back to level the score at 4-4, she faltered in the 10th game, committing a double fault that handed Rybakina two set points. Rybakina capitalized on the opportunity to force a decider.

The decisive third set

• The final set mirrored the intensity of the previous frames, with Rybakina breaking to lead 5-3, putting her in a position to serve for the match.
• Gauff responded with an immediate break to narrow the gap to 5-4, keeping her hopes alive.
• Ultimately, Gauff could not sustain the pressure; a precise volley from Rybakina created two match points at 15-40.
• The contest concluded when Gauff hit a wide-open smash long, handing the victory to Rybakina.

Reflecting on the grueling encounter, Rybakina noted, “It was such a cool third set — I feel like I was a little bit lucky on her serve. A couple of deep returns, one mistake from her, it went quickly my way… it was a real battle.” Looking ahead to the final, she acknowledged the challenge posed by Sabalenka, stating, “I feel like I definitely need to step my game up, serve much better than today and stay aggressive.” The report also notes that yet she was unable to make the most of her fightback and double-faulted in the 10th game to hand two set points to Rybakina at 15-40.