Sabalenka vs Pegula - Friday 01:00 CET
Match news and form
Jessica Pegula advanced to her third straight US Open semi-final after defeating compatriot Emma Navarro, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in two and a half hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The World No. 3 rallied from an early third-set deficit to complete her second comeback win of the campaign.
While she knocked out Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Sofia Kenin, and Sorana Cirstea in straight sets, the American also rallied from a set deficit against former finalist Leylah Fernandez. Pegula extends her fine hard-court form, having now reached the semi-final in six of nine such outings in 2026.
Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a 2-4 deficit in the third set to survive the most challenging match she has faced at the US Open in many years. The top seed, who will no longer be World No. 1 in a few days, halted Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7), in a hectic quarter-final.
Sabalenka had earlier knocked out four opponents in convincing straight sets, and has now extended her winning streak at the US Open to 18 matches. The two-time defending champion has surged into the US Open last four for the sixth year in a row, and will seek her fourth straight final.
Head-to-head
Sabalenka leads 9-4, including wins at the US Open in both 2024 (final) and 2025 (semi-final). However, the Belarusian lost their latest meeting on the grass courts of Berlin a few months ago with an underwhelming 4-6, 7-6(4), 0-6 scoreline. Their last four meetings have gone to deciding sets.
Stats & facts
Pegula is 1-2 in Grand Slam semi-finals, having made the final here at the US Open only in 2024.
Pegula has won six of her last 10 meetings with reigning World No. 1 players.
Sabalenka holds an impressive 8-6 Grand Slam semi-final record and 7-1 since the 2023 US Open.
Sabalenka is 6-2 against top-10 players this season, with one of the losses coming to Pegula.
Betting analysis
Pegula once again finds Sabalenka standing between herself and potential US Open glory for the third year in a row. Sabalenka will have the mental advantage, having already beaten the American at this tournament in the last two editions, and is expected to battle into the final with a tight three‑set victory.
Sabalenka in 2026
Best results: Miami, Indian Wells, Brisbane (titles); Australian Open (final)
Best results on outdoor hard courts: Miami, Indian Wells, Brisbane (titles); Australian Open (final)
Record: 45-8
Record in the last 10 matches: 8-2
Record on outdoor hard courts: 32-3
Record against top-10 players: 6-2 (career 61-44)
Record in Grand Slam semi-finals: 1-0 (career 8-6)
Record in semi-finals: 4-1 (career 44-22)
Grand Slams: Australian Open (final), French Open (quarter-finals), Wimbledon (round of 16)
Sabalenka at the US Open
Career record: 39-6
Best result: Title (2024-25)
Last year's result: Title
Record in semi-finals: 3-2
Preparation: Toronto (round of 16), Cincinnati (round of 16)
Road to the semi-finals: Osorio (6-2, 6-4), Iatcenko (6-1, 6-1), Rakhimova (6-3, 6-4), Townsend (6-4, 6-3), (6) Noskova (7-6, 3-6, 7-6)
Pegula in 2026
Best results: Charleston, Dubai (titles); Cincinnati, Washington, Berlin (finals)
Best results on outdoor hard courts: Dubai (title); Cincinnati, Washington (finals)
Record: 50-12
Record in the last 10 matches: 9-1
Record on outdoor hard courts: 34-7
Record against top-10 players: 7-6 (career 33-43)
Record in Grand Slam semi-finals: 0-1 (career 1-2)
Record in semi-finals: 5-2 (career 25-17)
Grand Slams: Australian Open (semi-finals), French Open (round of 128), Wimbledon (quarter-finals)
Pegula at the US Open
Career record: 28-9
Best result: Final (2024)
Last year's result: Semi-finals
Record in semi-finals: 1-1
Preparation: Washington (final), Toronto (round of 16), Cincinnati (final)
Road to the semi-finals: Ruse (6-3, 6-2), Kenin (6-3, 6-1), (31) L. Fernandez (1-6, 6-4, 6-3), (16) Cirstea (6-3, 6-4), (26) Navarro (3-6, 6-4, 6-3)
Gauff vs Rybakina - Friday 02:30 CET
Match news and form
Elena Rybakina lost a set for the first time in the campaign but came back from the deficit to defeat resurgent qualifier Qinwen Zheng, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, in the quarter-finals and continues her best-ever US Open result. Equally notably, she is set to become the new World No. 1 player next week.
Rybakina had never gone past the fourth round of the US Open before this fortnight. However, she was intent on breaking new ground at the tournament after her ascendancy as the Australian Open champion earlier this season, and semi-final or better results in Indian Wells, Miami, and Toronto.
Coco Gauff saved not one but two match points to prevent a straight-set loss to Mirra Andreeva and came back strongly to defeat the reigning Roland-Garros champion, 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2. It was also her first instance of being pushed into a deciding set in this otherwise flawless campaign.
Gauff had settled for finals in Miami and Rome, and a semi-final run at Wimbledon before this North American swing. The American has begun playing her best tennis of the season since the start of August, leading to a title in Cincinnati and extending her winning streak to 11 matches.
Head-to-head
The series stands at 1-1. Both of their previous meetings incidentally came in Toronto. Gauff escaped in a deciding-set tiebreak in 2022, but Rybakina avenged it with a comeback win in the semi-final clash a few weeks ago.
Stats & facts
Rybakina stands at 3-1 in Grand Slam semi-finals, having made the finals at Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2023 and 2026.
Rybakina, who could not beat a top-10 player in majors in 2024 or 2025, now seeks her fourth such win in 2026.
Gauff has a 3-3 record in Grand Slam semi-finals and 1-0 at the US Open, where she won the title in 2023.
Gauff has lost five of seven meetings with top-two players in her Grand Slam career.
Betting analysis
Both players have enough going for them to make it impossible to select a favourite with confidence. Given their competitive head-to-head record, it can be said with some certainty that they will push each other to a deciding set for their third meeting in a row.
Gauff in 2026
Best results: Cincinnati (title); Rome, Miami (final)
Best results on outdoor hard courts: Cincinnati (title); Miami (final)
Record: 45-13
Record in the last 10 matches: 10-0
Record on outdoor hard courts: 30-7
Record against top-10 players: 5-5 (career 38-41)
Record in Grand Slam semi-finals: 0-1 (career 3-3)
Record in semi-finals: 3-3 (career 17-19)
Grand Slams: Australian Open (quarter-finals), French Open (round of 32), Wimbledon (semi-finals)
Gauff at the US Open
Career record: 25-6
Best result: Title (2023)
Last year's result: Round of 16
Record in semi-finals: 1-0
Preparation: Toronto (semi-finals), Cincinnati (title)
Road to the semi-finals: Sonmez (6-3, 6-4), Badosa (6-4, 7-6), Bucsa (6-3, 6-4), (14) Jovic (6-1, 6-4), (5) M. Andreeva (2-6, 7-6, 6-2)
Rybakina in 2026
Best results: Stuttgart, Australian Open (title); Toronto, Indian Wells (final)
Best results on outdoor hard courts: Australian Open (title); Toronto, Indian Wells (final)
Record: 47-13
Record in the last 10 matches: 8-2
Record on outdoor hard courts: 34-7
Record against top-10 players: 8-5 (career 39-32)
Record in Grand Slam semi-finals: 1-0 (career 3-1)
Record in semi-finals: 4-1 (career 26-16)
Grand Slams: Australian Open (title), French Open (round of 64), Wimbledon (round of 32)
Rybakina at the US Open
Career record: 13-6
Best result: Semi-finals (2026)
Last year's result: Round of 16
Record in semi-finals: 0-0
Preparation: Toronto (final), Cincinnati (quarter-finals)
Road to the semi-finals: Frodin (6-3, 6-2), Bouzas (6-2, 6-4), Starodubtseva (7-6, 6-3), (13) Osaka (6-1, 6-4), Qinwen Zheng (3-6, 6-1, 6-4)