Elena Rybakina defeated American Coco Gauff in the US Open semifinal to reach the final winning 3–6, 6–4, 6–4.
The hard-court match lasted more than 2 hours. Rybakina converted three of the five break points she earned, but she made far more unforced errors than usual - 18 compared with Gauff’s seven.
Popular tennis account The Tennis Letter reacted emotionally immediately after the match. Its authors wrote that the phrase “world-class player” was no longer enough to describe what Rybakina had become, highlighting her power and her ability to find the courage to step up in crucial moments.
After her run to the final, Western media have been full of praise for Rybakina, with some outlets going as far as calling her the best tennis player in the world right now.
A battle of coaching teams
Rybakina has worked with Stefano Vukov since 2019. The Croatian coach unexpectedly left the team in the middle of the French Open this spring, but returned to full-time training in Cincinnati and traveled with Elena to New York.
Sabalenka’s team is larger and more stable. Anton Dubrov is responsible for tactics and psychology, while Jason Stacy handles physical preparation and the world No. 1’s emotional well-being. Over the past year, Max Mirnyi has also added tactical flexibility, teaching Aryna not simply to hit harder but to vary her serve and make it less predictable.
The final
The final will be played on hard court, the fastest and most demanding of the three main surfaces on tour. It is precisely on this surface that Rybakina’s serve is at its most powerful, while the angle of her attack after the return gives her opponents less time to react.
The match will take place at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest court at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It is scheduled to begin in the early hours of September 13 Kazakhstan time, at around 1 a.m.
