US Open Semi-Finals: Top Four Seeds Reach Last Four for First Time Since 2009

All four top seeds have reached a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time since 2009, setting up high-stakes showdowns at the US Open between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, and Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff on Thursday in New York.

Historical Quartet Sets the Stage in Flushing Meadows

For the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, the top four seeded players in a Grand Slam women’s singles draw have all advanced to the semi-finals, according to reporting from The Canberra Times. Three of the remaining four competitors are already major champions, while the trio of top seeds includes a shifting landscape at the summit of the WTA Tour rankings. The hard courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, N.Y., will host both matches on Thursday, as detailed by The Athletic.

While the top of the rankings shifted when Elena Rybakina secured the world No. 1 spot by defeating Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals, the remaining contenders are chasing history, ranking points, and elusive major trophies.

Aryna Sabalenka Chases a Three-Peat Against Jessica Pegula

Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters Thursday evening’s opener aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams—who won three straight titles in New York from 2012 to 2014—to capture three consecutive US Open crowns, as noted by The Canberra Times. Sabalenka reached her sixth consecutive US Open semi-final after surviving a grueling quarterfinal battle against Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková, where she switched rackets between points and finished with a second-serve ace to take a tight tiebreak, according to The Athletic. Sabalenka holds a 9-4 career head-to-head advantage over Pegula.

US Open Semi-Finals: Top Four Seeds Reach Last Four for First Time Since 2009 — Photo: nytimes.com

View this post on Instagram about open semi finals four, US Open 2026 women's semi-finals

From Instagram — related to open semi finals four, US Open 2026 women's semi-finals

Standing across the net at Arthur Ashe Stadium will be third seed Jessica Pegula, who advanced by overcoming fellow American Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a nearly two-and-a-half-hour match featuring eight double faults, as The Athletic reported. Pegula is the only player remaining in the semi-finals who is still seeking her first Grand Slam singles title, having reached her second major semi-final of the season following a strong run at the Australian Open, as The Canberra Times noted.

“I think it’s fun to look at the rivalry we’ve had.”

Jessica Pegula, via The Canberra Times

Pegula added: I have been able to beat her a few times, maybe on a smaller stage, so I think that’s going to be kind of a hurdle for me to get over. Their matchup is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET start, broadcast on ESPN, according to The Athletic.

Elena Rybakina Meets Home Favorite Coco Gauff

The second semi-final features newly crowned world No. 1 Elena Rybakina against 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, scheduled for approximately 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, The Athletic reported. Rybakina arrived in New York managing injury concerns that forced her to withdraw from mixed doubles, but the 2026 Australian Open champion has dropped only one set en route to her first Flushing Meadows semi-final, as The Athletic noted. She will take the top ranking officially when new lists are released after the tournament, replacing Sabalenka, who held the spot since October 2024, according to The Canberra Times.

Aryna Sabalenka remains on track to win a third consecutive US Open women's title. Photo: EPA PHOTO — Photo: The Canberra Times

Gauff reached the final four on an 11-match winning streak following her title run at the Cincinnati Open, though she had to stage a dramatic comeback against French Open winner Mirra Andreeva, saving two match points during a tense second-set tiebreak before winning 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2, as The Canberra Times reported.

Broadcast Details and What Lies Ahead

The winners of Thursday’s two matches will advance directly to the women’s singles championship match scheduled for Saturday, September 12, at Arthur Ashe Stadium.