Aryna Sabalenka Advances to US Open Semifinals After Thrilling Comeback

Sabalenka's Remarkable Victory

World's top-ranked player Aryna Sabalenka kept her quest for a third consecutive US Open title alive by overcoming a 4-2 deficit in the final set, defeating Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova with a score of 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7). This hard-fought quarterfinal match lasted two hours and 22 minutes, marking Sabalenka's 18th consecutive win at the US Open, as reported by the WTA.

Making History at Flushing Meadows

With this victory, Sabalenka has reached her sixth straight US Open semifinal and her 15th overall in Grand Slam tournaments. She is now just two wins away from becoming the first woman since Serena Williams, who achieved three consecutive US Open titles from 2012 to 2014, to accomplish this feat in New York.

A Challenging Match

Noskova showcased her skills with 46 winners, including 18 aces, while saving seven out of nine break points. In response, Sabalenka delivered 42 winners and 12 aces, sealing her victory with a second-serve ace on her first match point.

This win marked Sabalenka's first triumph over a Top 10 player since her victory against Coco Gauff in the Miami final earlier this year, and it was her sixth such win in the 2026 season. Additionally, it was her first three-set victory in a Grand Slam this year, following losses to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final and Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.

Sabalenka also ended Noskova's six-match winning streak in deciding-set tiebreaks, improving her own record in such tiebreaks this season to 2-1.

This match was notable as it was the first encounter between reigning Grand Slam champions since the Miami final and the first meeting of two Top 10 players at this year's US Open.

Looking Ahead to the Semifinals

In the semifinals, Sabalenka is set to face either third seed Jessica Pegula or 26th seed Emma Navarro. A potential matchup against Pegula would mark their 14th meeting, with Sabalenka having triumphed over the American at the US Open in the previous two years.