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Gauff rallies to earn US Open semi-final against new world No. 1
Brian Mahoney • September 10th, 2026 9:43 am
Coco Gauff | Photo: AP
Home hope Coco Gauff has fought off a couple match points to beat Mirra Andreeva and set up a US Open semi-final matchup against new world No.1 Elena Rybakina.
Gauff overcame a horrible start to win 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 on Thursday (NZ time) to give herself a chance at a second US Open title.
She won the tournament in 2023, when she had to overcome a similar rough beginning against Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
Russian Andreeva, the French Open champion, won the first seven points and took the first set in 26 minutes before Gauff regrouped.
"I think the motto of the match is just to fight," Gauff said.
Elena Rybakina salutes the crowd after reaching the semis and claiming the world No. 1 rankings | Photo: AP
Earlier, Australian Open champion Rybakina edged Zheng Qinwen 3-6 6-1 6-4 in their quarter-final, guaranteeing she will become No. in the WTA rankings after the tournament.
The top-ranked Sabalenka faces No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the other semi-final on Thursday. But no matter what happens in the remaining matches, Kazakhstan's Rybakina will end Sabalenka's 99-week stay at No.1 when the new rankings are released Monday.
Rybakina came into the tournament needing only to reach the semi-finals to ensure she would move past Sabalenka. Had the 27-year-old lost before the final four, Sabalenka, Pegula or Gauff could have been No.1 next week by winning the tournament.
"It's just a number right now and of course I'm in the semis so my goal is to win the tournament," Rybakina said.
Qinwen Zheng blasted 20 winners during her comeback win over a former world No. 1 | Photo: AP
"It's an amazing achievement but you know how quick everything can change in tennis, ranking-wise, during the match, so I feel like I just need to focus on my game, try to recover and enjoy tomorrow."
Zheng capitalized on Rybakina's early struggles to get her only break of the match against one of the best servers in women's tennis and take a 5-3 lead in the first set.
But Zheng, who had been playing from behind so much in Flushing Meadows, couldn't hold onto the lead and Rybakina rolled through the second set in 38 minutes.
Zheng, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist from China, had to come through the qualifying tournament just to make the main draw after elbow surgery dropped her down the rankings to her current place of No. 121. Once ranked No. 4, she is guaranteed to move back into the top 60.
"I think the wins that I had so far are great, but obviously today in the match I got a lot of chances in the third set, but I didn't take it," Zheng said. "That was a bit pity for me to lose this match, but obviously I could take positive things from U.S. Open this yea
