Coco Gauff suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Elena Rybakina in the semifinals of the US Open.
After going a set up with the New York crowd roaring her on, the 22-year-old fell to new world number one 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
With an American guaranteed to be in the men’s final this weekend, was bidding to make it a US double, but the Kazakh held firm to deny her and advance to her first US Open final.
Rybakina will take on in the championship match at Flushing Meadows; their second meeting in a Grand Slam final this year after the Australian Open.
For Gauff, the hunt for Grand Slam title number three goes on, though she will now have to wait until the 2027 Australian Open to continue her pursuit.
Coco Gauff reacts after losing to Elena Rybakina at the US Open
When asked in her post-match press conference what her plans are for the rest of the 2026 season, Gauff said: “I am just looking towards next year.“I think every US Open, and no disrespect to other tournaments, but [after] every US Open is kind of where my mind is just thinking to focus on the improvement for next year.
“I will play in China and hopefully qualify for WTA Finals, but every time I play those events it has been for the purpose of trying to try things for next season or trying to figure out what I need to work on [in] the off-season.
“Sometimes the mindset works, as I’m usually successful at those events, so I think this will just be about going back and seeing what I can improve on and what I need to try and put into my game for the Asian swing.”
Gauff has 1390 WTA points to defend during the Asian swing after playing well there in 2025.
Last year, Gauff made the semifinals of the China Open before capturing her third WTA 1000 title at the Wuhan Open.
Elena Rybakina’s match with Aryna Sabalenka will make history
Rybakina and Sabalenka entered the US Open as the top two seeds, and now they will battle it out for the title.Sabalenka is bidding to become the third woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive US Open titles, following Serena Williams and Chris Evert.
Rybakina, on the other hand, is seeking a third Grand Slam title and her second of the season.
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