Aryna Sabalenka Battles for US Open Hat-Trick as World No.1

Aryna Sabalenka's historic 99 week reign as world No.1 is ending, but her quest for a third straight US Open title is very much alive. The top seed survived a monumental quarterfinal scare to reach the semifinals, where she will face a familiar rival in Jessica Pegula on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina's run to the final four guarantees she will dethrone Sabalenka when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday.

Sabalenka's No.1 Ranking Ends After 99 Weeks

Elena Rybakina's quarterfinal victory over Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, sealed the change at the summit. By reaching the semifinals, Rybakina mathematically ensured she will become the new world No.1, ending Sabalenka's consecutive streak at 99 weeks. Sabalenka had held the top spot since October 21, 2024, for a total of 107 weeks. Rybakina, the Australian Open champion, is the first player from Kazakhstan to achieve the top ranking. "It's just a number right now," Rybakina said, focusing instead on her semifinal. The shift caps a season where Rybakina, along with Pegula and Coco Gauff, had been one of Sabalenka's closest challengers.

A Grueling Quarterfinal Victory Over Noskova

Sabalenka earned her semifinal spot the hard way. On Tuesday, she needed over two and a half hours to edge Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(10-7) in a dramatic quarterfinal. It was the first set she had dropped all tournament. The 21 year old Czech fired 18 aces and led by a break in the deciding set before Sabalenka mounted her comeback. "I was pushing myself to the limit this match," Sabalenka said. "I honestly thought that was it, the match was over, and that's what helped me to feel loose and go for my shots." She sealed the win with a courageous second serve ace in the final tiebreak, extending her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 18 consecutive matches. You can track her progress and upcoming matches on our [fixtures](/fixtures) page.

Semifinal Preview: A Familiar Hard Court Foe

The path to a third title now runs through Jessica Pegula. The American third seed advanced with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Emma Navarro, marking her 50th match win of the season. This semifinal is a rematch of the last two US Opens. Sabalenka beat Pegula in the 2024 final and again in the 2025 semifinals. Sabalenka leads their head to head 9-4, though Pegula won their most recent meeting in Berlin earlier this year. On hard courts, however, Sabalenka has held the advantage, including a win at the 2025 WTA Finals. The match is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The Broader Semifinal Picture at Flushing Meadows

While Sabalenka and Pegula battle in one semifinal, the new world No.1 in waiting will be in action in the other. Elena Rybakina will face former champion Coco Gauff, who saved two match points to beat Mirra Andreeva in her quarterfinal. This sets up a high stakes clash where a Grand Slam final berth and the symbolic prize of being the top ranked player are both on the line. Gauff acknowledged the challenge, saying, "Elena is the new world number one. It's going to be a tough match."

• Key Takeaways: Sabalenka will be replaced as world No.1 by Elena Rybakina on Monday, ending a 99 week streak. She is into her sixth straight US Open semifinal after a tense three set win over Linda Noskova. Her next opponent is Jessica Pegula, whom she has beaten in the last two US Opens.