The 2026 US Open women’s semi-finals are underway at Arthur Ashe Stadium, headlined by a clash between two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and American Jessica Pegula. They will be followed by a high-stakes contest between former champion Coco Gauff and new world No 1 Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka, who has dropped her top ranking, navigated a difficult path to the final four after a rocky spring and summer. Her campaign included quarter-final exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, along with last-16 withdrawals in Toronto and Cincinnati. She was pushed to three sets by Linda Noskova in her quarter-final before securing a dramatic comeback victory.
Pegula, seeded third, defeated fellow American Emma Navarro in three sets to reach her third consecutive semi-final at Flushing Meadows. The two players share a history on this court, having met in the 2024 final and the 2025 semi-final, with Sabalenka winning both encounters. Pegula did secure a win over Sabalenka on grass in Berlin in June, but Sabalenka maintains a 5-3 edge on outdoor hardcourts.
In the second semi-final, Rybakina plays in her first match since officially claiming the world No 1 ranking following her quarter-final victory over Zheng Qinwen. The Kazakhstani player dethroned Sabalenka, ending her 99-week reign at the top. This year has already proven successful for Rybakina, starting with the Australian Open title in January and including two titles so far. The upcoming match marks her deepest run at the US Open, as she had never previously advanced beyond the fourth round in New York.
Her opponent, Gauff, is making her first semi-final appearance at the tournament since winning the championship in 2023. She advanced with a resilient comeback against Mirra Andreeva, saving two match points in a second-set tiebreak after struggling with her serve and forehand errors early in the match.
The night’s proceedings also mark a historic milestone: for the first time since 1975, the top four seeds have reached the women’s semi-finals at the US Open. Additionally, both the men’s and women’s semi-finals feature All-American pairings, adding to the significance of the tournament.
Notable celebrity attendees included former first lady Michelle Obama, who watched from the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium as the players began their warm-ups and took to the court for the opening match.
Rybakina finally reaching her first semifinal at Flushing seems like a huge step. But Gauff is playing with such confidence since her 2023 win.
Sabalenka vs Pegula feels like déjà vu. They’ve met in the last two US Open finals, and Sabalenka won both. Can Pegula break the pattern this time?
Wait, did I hear that right? Michelle Obama was in the stands today? What a treat to see her back at Ashe!
Love seeing the top four seeds all in the semis. That never happens at the US Open, pretty historic moment here.