Coco Gauff suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Elena Rybakina within the semifinals of the US Open.
After going a arrange with the New York crowd roaring her on, the 22-year-old fell to new world primary Rybakina 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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With an American assured to be within the males’s remaining this weekend, Gauff was bidding to make it a US double, however the Kazakh held agency to disclaim her and advance to her first US Open remaining.
Rybakina will tackle Aryna Sabalenka within the championship match at Flushing Meadows; their second assembly in a Grand Slam remaining this 12 months after the Australian Open.
For Gauff, the hunt for Grand Slam title quantity three goes on, although she’s going to now have to attend till the 2027 Australian Open to proceed her pursuit.
Picture by KENA BETANCUR / AFP through Getty Photographs
Coco Gauff reacts after shedding to Elena Rybakina on the US Open
When requested in her post-match press convention what her plans are for the remainder of the 2026 season, Gauff mentioned: “I’m simply wanting in direction of subsequent 12 months.
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“I feel each US Open, and no disrespect to different tournaments, however [after] each US Open is sort of the place my thoughts is simply pondering to deal with the advance for subsequent 12 months.
“I’ll play in China and hopefully qualify for WTA Finals, however each time I play these occasions it has been for the aim of making an attempt to attempt issues for subsequent season or making an attempt to determine what I must work on [in] the low season.
“Generally the mindset works, as I am normally profitable at these occasions, so I feel it will simply be about going again and seeing what I can enhance on and what I must attempt to put into my recreation for the Asian swing.”
Gauff has 1390 WTA factors to defend in the course of the Asian swing after taking part in effectively there in 2025.
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Final 12 months, Gauff made the semifinals of the China Open earlier than capturing her third WTA 1000 title on the Wuhan Open.
Picture by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP through Getty Photographs
Elena Rybakina’s match with Aryna Sabalenka will make historical past
Rybakina and Sabalenka entered the US Open as the highest two seeds, and now they’ll battle it out for the title.
Sabalenka is bidding to develop into the third girl within the Open Period to win three consecutive US Open titles, following Serena Williams and Chris Evert.
Rybakina, however, is looking for a 3rd Grand Slam title and her second of the season.
In keeping with Opta Ace, for the reason that Australian Open switched to laborious courtroom in 1988, a pair will meet within the Australian and US Open finals in a season for simply the second time.
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Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario had been the final pair to make this occur, doing so in 1994.
A triumph for Sabalenka would see her win a fifth Grand Slam title, a tally that matches the likes of Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis.
