Elena Rybakina fought back from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach her first US Open final. The Kazakh player will face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final at Flushing Meadows after producing another strong comeback on the hard courts of New York.

Rybakina did not have the best start against Gauff. The American quickly found her rhythm and took control of the opening set, using her movement and baseline game to put pressure on her opponent. Gauff broke Rybakina early and managed to keep the Kazakh player from finding her usual rhythm.

The match changed in the second set. Rybakina settled down, improved her serving and began putting more pressure on Gauff’s forehand. She stayed patient during long rallies and waited for opportunities rather than trying to finish points too quickly.

That approach paid off. Rybakina levelled the match by taking the second set 6-4, leaving both players with one set to decide the semifinal.

The deciding set was closely fought, but Rybakina gradually gained control. Her powerful first serve and aggressive groundstrokes helped her create pressure, while Gauff struggled to maintain the consistency she had shown early in the match.

Gauff did not give up easily. Backed by a loud Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, she continued to fight and produced several important points late in the match. But Rybakina remained composed and held her nerve when the pressure was highest.

She eventually closed out the match 6-4 in the third set to secure a place in her maiden US Open final. The victory also means Rybakina will become the new women’s world No. 1 after the tournament.

The result is another major step in Rybakina’s rise at the biggest tournaments. She already has a Grand Slam title from Wimbledon in 2022 and won the Australian Open earlier this year. A victory in New York would give her a third major title and complete an impressive season.

Rybakina will now meet a familiar opponent in Sabalenka. The Belarusian reached the final after beating Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the other semifinal.

Sabalenka has been one of the most dominant players at the US Open in recent years. She is appearing in the final for the fourth consecutive year and is chasing a third straight title in New York. Only Serena Williams has previously won three consecutive US Open women’s singles titles in the Open Era, doing so from 2012 to 2014.

The final will also bring together two players who have already developed a strong rivalry. Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this year, while Sabalenka has also beaten her in other important matches during the season. Their contrasting styles are likely to make the US Open final another closely contested battle.

Rybakina’s victory also ended America’s hopes of having a home player in the women’s final. Gauff had been the last American woman remaining in the singles draw after Pegula’s defeat to Sabalenka.

It is the first time since 2006 that no American woman has reached a Grand Slam singles final during a season, underlining how unusual this year’s result is for US tennis.

Gauff, however, leaves the tournament with plenty of positives. The 22-year-old had already shown her fighting spirit earlier in the tournament when she came from behind to beat Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals. She saved two match points in that match before completing another comeback.

Her US Open campaign also followed a strong run of form during the season, including a Wimbledon semifinal appearance and a title in Cincinnati. Despite the semifinal loss, Gauff said she remained encouraged by the progress in her game and was focused on continuing to improve.

Rybakina, meanwhile, will enter the final with confidence after another comeback win. She has repeatedly shown that losing the opening set does not necessarily affect her composure. Against Gauff, she adjusted her game, improved her serving and took advantage of the American’s errors as the match progressed.

The US Open women’s final will now bring together the tournament’s new and outgoing world No. 1 players. Rybakina is guaranteed to take the top ranking, while Sabalenka will be looking to leave New York with another championship trophy.

For Rybakina, the opportunity is bigger than simply reaching her first US Open final. After winning the Australian Open earlier this year, she has a chance to claim another Grand Slam title and finish the season as the world’s top-ranked women’s tennis player.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, will be chasing history.

Their final promises another major chapter in one of the most closely watched rivalries in women’s tennis, with both players having plenty at stake when they meet in New York on Saturday.