The match turned on a pivotal second-set tiebreaker where Gauff faced two match points. After winning a grueling 39-shot rally to lead 5-3, she saw Andreeva surge back to gain the upper hand. However, Gauff remained composed, forcing errors from her opponent to erase the deficit and eventually force a deciding set. Once in the third, Gauff dominated the proceedings to reach her seventh career Grand Slam semifinal.
Rybakina Ascends to World No. 1
Standing in Gauff’s path to the final is
Rybakina’s match against Zheng was a test of endurance and adaptation. After a sluggish start caused by challenging light conditions in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the new world No. 1 found her rhythm to dismantle Zheng in the second set. Despite a competitive third set, a crucial double-fault from the Chinese player allowed Rybakina to break and serve out the match. Zheng, who entered the tournament through the qualifying rounds following injury, concludes her campaign having made a significant impact on the draw.
Tournament Context and Men's Draw
The current U.S. Open has seen a rare alignment of top talent, marking the first time since 1975 that all four top-seeded women have advanced to the semifinals. With Rybakina set to face Gauff, the other semifinal will feature top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka against No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula. In the men's draw, Karen Khachanov moved into the semifinals after Alexander Blockx retired due to injury midway through their third set. Khachanov is now scheduled to face top-seeded Alexander Zverev, while the other men's semifinal will be an all-American affair between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe.
