By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Photo credit: USTA
NEW YORK—A foreboding feeling of finality struck Aryna Sabalenka as she faced a third-set deficit.
In tennis’ version of sudden death, Sabalenka summoned new life.
World No. 1 Sabalenka slashed a second serve ace sealing a pulsating 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7) triumph over Linda Noskova to battle into her sixth straight US Open semifinal in a shot-making spectacle on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I think she expected a kick to her backhand. I got lucky she didn’t read my serve,” Sabalenka said of her match-ending ace. “I’m happy I finished the match obviously with second-serve ace. I couldn’t be happier.
“Yeah, it was really tough, tight battle. I’m just super happy that I really stayed aggressive throughout the whole match, and I really trusted my shots.”
Sabalenka stretched her Flushing Meadows winning streak to 18 matches, improving to 21-1 in her last 22 US Open matches.
“What an incredible match—I’m speechless,” Sabalenka told ESPN’s Christopher Eubanks afterward. “I honestly thought in the third set the match is over.
“And that kind of helped me to feel loose, to go after my shots. It was a tough match, a tough battle. Thank you guys for being you–you’re amazing. It’s always unbelievable playing in front of you all. Thank you.”
In a clash of reigning Grand Slam champions, Sabalenka withstood 18 aces from Wimbledon champion Noskova, who saved seven of the nine break points she faced. Noskova went up a break at 4-2 in the decider and was two holds from advancing to the semifinals, but could not hold off a hard-charging Sabalenka.
“I could have done a lot of things differently,” Noskova said. “You know, being a break up in the third set, it’s not very easy. Also having a little break at the start of the tiebreak in the third one, as well, it’s frustrating, obviously, but at the same time, I definitely could have done different decisions at those crucial moments.
“But at the same time, Aryna, she played the best tennis that she could in those moments, which didn’t really make it easy for me.”
A stubborn Sabalenka rallied from 2-4 down in the decider rampaging through 12 of 13 points to turn that deficit into a 5-4 lead in a magnificent match of major champions.
Though she was sometimes cast as a volatile head case earlier in her career, Sabalenka has channeled chaos into proactive play in Grand Slam tiebreakers. The four-time Grand Slam champion owns the all-time record for most consecutive Grand Slam tiebreaker wins (21, a streak snapped by Naomi Osaka at Wimbledon) and won her 10th straight US Open tiebreaker today. Sabalenka has not lost a tiebreaker in New York City since her 2021 semifinal defeat to lefty Leylah Fernandez.
“This kind of tight tierbreaks and high pressure is kind of boosting my confidence and energy and motivation,” Sabalenka said. “So I’m super happy somehow I made that ace.”
Continuing her quest to become the first woman to three-peat in New York since Serena Williams from 2012-2014, Sabalenka will face an American with a trip to the US Open final on the line.
The top-seeded Sabalenka will face the winner of tonight’s all-American quarterfinal between third-seeded Jessica Pegula and 26th-seeded Emma Navarro.
“I’m just super happy that I put myself in the position where I have chance to go for three-peat, even though I’m still far away from that,” Sabalenka said. “What I learned from Australia is it’s really important to shut down all of the noises and having that on the back of your mind.
“It’s nothing wrong about that, just as long as you’re focusing on yourself, as long as you’re ready to fight,
basically.”
Grand Slam champions pushed each other all over the court in the first match of the tournament pitting two Top 10 players.
Bursting out of the blocks with command, Sabalenka sped to 3-0 lead after just eight minutes of play. Banging a biting serve helped Sabalenka hold at 15 for 5-2.
When the defending champion serve for it at 5-3, she lost the sharp edge playing her sloppiest game of the set. A double fault and a heavy forehand down the line from the Czech but Sabalenka in a double break point bind.
When a skittish Sabalenka slapped a forehand into net, Noskova snatched her first break for 4-5.
Turning it on in the tiebreaker, Sabalenka torched three winners in a red-hot start for a 6-0 lead in the breaker. Sabalenka, who went 22-3 in 2025 tiebreakers, banged a big serve down the T to end the 47-minute opener.
Soaking up Sabalenka’s pace, Noskova deployed variety to take charge of the second set.
The Wimbledon winner showed the serve-and-volley, dabbed drop shots, worked in some slices and served closer to the lines.
Whipping the wide serve helped Noskova save a break point and hold with a backhand pass down the line for 3-2.
Frozen by the Czech’s drop shot, Sabalenka then sprayed a forehand to face a break point. When Sabalenka steered a double fault wide, Noskova had the break for 4-2.
Continuing to press forward at the right time, Noskova made an astute half-volley pick-up holding for 5-2.
On her fourth set point, Noskova slid an ace down the T to wrap the second set and push Sabalenka to a third set.
It was the first set Sabalenka surrendered in the tournament and sent a foreboding signal to her box.
Two games into the final set, Noskova saved a break point, pumping a forehand down the line.
Double-faulting herself into a triple break point hole, Sabalenka dropped to a squat and howled in disgust in the fifth game of the final set.
Rocketing a return, Noskova rattled out the break for 3-2 lead after one hour, 48 minutes.
The sixth seed sped through a love hold to confirm the break for 4-2.
Two games from elimination, Sabalenka shirked some stress and came back firing. The top seed surged through eight of nine points pounding down heavy forehands for the love break to level after eight games.
The sixth seed was serving at 4-5 when officials opted to close the retractable roof over Ashe Stadium adding another layer of challenge for Noskova. The Czech coped with confidence, throwing down a strong hold to level after 10 games.
Throttling an ace followed by a forehand winner, Noskova came through a tight test holding to force the final 10-point tiebreaker.
Noskova hit her sixth double fault and Sabalenka smacked a stinging forehand winner for 5-3 with her 17th forehand winner. Stinging the wide serve brought the champion a 6-3 lead.
Under severe stress, Sabalenka slid a 109 mph ace for 7-5. A Sabalenka return crashed into the tape and catapulted up where Noskova met the ball and flashed a forehand down the line for 7-8.
Undaunted Sabalenka sped a serve wide for match point at 9-7.
Reaching up, Sabalenka slashed her 11th ace to end it in two hours, 22 minutes.
Reflecting on this dynamic duel, Sabalenka said it should fuel her for the fights to come.
“I have to say that knowing that physically my body can handle these matches again, I’m super happy with that,” said Sabalenka, who is playing for her first title since the Miami Open in April. “And of course these kind of tight matches gives you so much confidence that you’re back and you’re ready to do anything it takes to get the win.
“So this match definitely gives me boost of energy and motivation.”
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