Rybakina ends Gauff's US Open run, sets up title clash with Sabalenka - ESPN

NEW YORK — Aryna Sabalenka realized she was probably going to lose the No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina. There wasn't much she could do about that.

The US Open trophy is a different story.

Rybakina can take that away from Sabalenka only by winning it on the court Saturday, and the two-time defending champion showed in an overpowering display in the semifinals how serious she is about a three-peat.

«I wanted badly to go to the finals, and of course, I want to go all the way,» said Sabalenka, who could become the first player to win three straight at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014.

Rybakina set up a matchup between the top two players in women's tennis by rallying past Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the first semifinal, running away with the second set after they played largely even in the first.

Sabalenka is No. 1 and Rybakina No. 2 in the WTA rankings, but that changes Monday after Sabalenka held the top spot for 99 consecutive weeks. Rybakina beat Sabalenka to win the Australian Open to start the season, and Sabalenka had a poor summer by her standards to allow Rybakina to keep closing.

Rybakina needed only to reach the semifinals in New York to clinch the No. 1 ranking.

«It's a lot of work, and yeah, that was one of my goals, but right now, not much I could do. I didn't really perform well in the middle of the season,» Sabalenka said. «Elena took it over and played really well, and she took away No. 1 position.»

The second semifinal was more of a battle, with Gauff trying to fight from behind in the final two sets, but Rybakina denying her comeback bid.

Gauff jumped on Rybakina with a strong start — she had four aces to one for Rybakina, who leads the WTA