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Gauff reaches US Open semifinals after saving match points

9/10/2026

8 1 Full Breakdown

Summary

Gauff Saves Matchpoints

Coco Gauff defeated Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 in the US Open quarterfinals.
She saved two match points in the second-set tiebreak before winning.
The win gave her seventh Grand Slam semifinal and tied Chris Evert’s 90-win record before age 23.
She will face No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina, who is set to become world No. 1 after the tournament.

Summary

Rybakina Reaches No.1

Elena Rybakina became the first Kazakh to reach the WTA world No. 1 ranking.
Her quarter-final win over Qinwen Zheng ended Aryna Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top.
Rybakina is the 30th woman to lead the rankings since the system began in 1975.
She recorded 47 tour victories in 2026, the second-most behind Jessica Pegula.
Rybakina said the ranking is ‘just a number’ and will focus on winning the US Open.

Summary

Rybakina Overcomes Injury

Elena Rybakina said a recent Achilles injury forced her to skip seven days of training before the US Open.
She described morning and evening matches in New York as exhausting, preferring earlier start times.
She recalled an internal emotional battle early in the tournament before regaining focus.
She emphasized staying aggressive, not letting emotions affect her game, and targeting the title.

History

Historical Context

In 1988 Graf achieved the Golden Slam—winning all four majors and Olympic gold—ending the Evert-Navratilova era and establishing a baseline-driven style. She captured her 22nd major at the 1999 French Open, retired that year ranked No. 3, and held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 377 weeks. Her legacy underpins today’s teenage stars like Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina.

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Gauff Saves Matchpoints

Coco Gauff defeated Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 in the US Open quarterfinals.
She saved two match points in the second-set tiebreak before winning.
The win gave her seventh Grand Slam semifinal and tied Chris Evert’s 90-win record before age 23.
She will face No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina, who is set to become world No. 1 after the tournament.

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