Coco Gauff rallied around Mirra Andreeva to face Rybakina in the US Open semi-finals
Coco Gauff showed why she is one of the toughest players in terms of mentality and sheer skill as she produced a stunning comeback win against Mirra Andreeva to enter the semi-final stage of the 2026 US Open. Gauff won the match 2-6. 7-6, 6-2 and set up a final match of four against the new world number one Elena Rybakinová.
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It is the first time since 2023 that Gauff has reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows. Andreeva actually seemed to be running away with the game when Gauff seemed rusty and nowhere near up to par. The crowd quickly got behind the fourth seed as she fought her way back into the match and took it to a tiebreak in the second set.
Gauff was able to save two match points before sealing the deal and pushing the match to a decision where Andreev’s challenge just fizzled out. The upcoming US Open semifinals will be just the second time in the Open Era that the top four seeds have all reached the final four. The previous instance came in 1975, when top seed Chris Evert, No. 2 Virginia Wade, No. 3 Martina Navrátilová and No. 4 Evonne Goolagong advanced to the semifinals.
HOW THE MATCH HAPPENED
Mirra Andreeva looked in complete control for most of the opening set as Coco Gauff endured a nightmare in the US Open quarter-finals.
The American struggled to find some rhythm, especially on serve, while her forehand repeatedly let her down. Gauff has spent the last year working to rebuild both aspects of her game, but neither weapon was working when she needed it most.
Andreeva, the 19-year-old French Open champion, also spent much of the summer dealing with the expectations that followed her breakthrough in Paris. Yet in New York, she was given the perfect opportunity when Gauff’s game suddenly left her.
Andreeva raced to a 4-0 lead in just 12 minutes and wrapped up the opening set 6-2 after just 27 minutes. Gauff looked completely disheveled and the match seemed to be leaking fast.
As the second set began, the tempo changed dramatically. Andreeva’s level dropped and she started making mistakes that allowed Gauff to get back into the competition. A tense battle ensued between the two players trying to take control, with neither willing or able to dictate the rally unless the other forced the issue.
The set eventually went to a tiebreak, where Gauff stared match point twice. Rather than wait for Andreeva to make the first move, Gauff took an aggressive approach, moving forward and once again putting pressure on her opponent.
Andreeva failed to convert a single opportunity. She sent the first match point over the baseline before committing another error on the second, allowing Gauff to stay alive.
This proved to be a turning point. Gauff suddenly found another gear, while Andreeva’s confidence began to disappear. After Gauff completed the comeback in the tiebreak to tie it at one set apiece, he unleashed a huge roar that echoed around the packed home crowd at Flushing Meadows.
Andreeva seemed unable to recover from the collapse.
The signs were even clearer at the start of the deciding set. Gauff chased down a topspin lob and returned it high and deep, forcing Andreeva to handle the ball from the baseline.
Instead of attempting a full shot, Andreeva barely manages to swing and send the ball away. She made another mistake on the very next point before throwing her racquet to the floor, narrowly missing a nearby court worker.
The match started to slip away from Andreeva already during the tiebreak. In the third set, her composure and confidence seemed to completely disappear.
After that, it was just routine work for Gauff, who easily put her opponent away to set up a clash with the new world number one.
– The end
Published on:
10 Sep 2026 02:24 IST