Rybakina defeats Gauff in three units, reaches first U.S. Open ultimate; claims No. 1 rating

Rybakina defeats Gauff in three units, reaches first U.S. Open ultimate; claims No. 1 rating
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated American Coco Gauff 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Thursday night time at Arthur Ashe Stadium to succeed in her first U.S. Open ultimate and declare the world No. 1 WTA rating.

Gauff received the opening set after breaking Rybakina for a 4-2 lead and serving it out. Rybakina recovered her first-serve share within the second set, traded breaks, and took it 6-4. The match turned within the third: Gauff held till 3-4, then a backhand error surrendered the break. Rybakina led 5-3, Gauff broke again, however Rybakina held to shut on the primary match level when a Gauff overhead landed broad.

“I know you guys wanted Coco to win, and I think it was really a battle,” she stated in an on courtroom interview. “[A]nd really it went my way,” Rybakina stated.

She added she tried to be targeted and aggressive.

The victory was Rybakina’s fifth three-set win of the event. She had already secured the No. 1 rating together with her quarterfinal win over Zheng Qinwen.

Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, had reached the semifinal after saving two match factors towards Mirra Andreeva within the quarterfinals. The head-to-head between the 2 now stands at 2-2. Rybakina faces two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s ultimate.