World number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has reached the semi-finals of the 2026 US Open after surviving a thrilling quarter-final against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
The Belarusian defeated the sixth-seeded Czech 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 in a match lasting two hours and 22 minutes. Sabalenka dominated the opening-set tie-break 7-1, but Noskova responded in the second, using her powerful serve and aggressive baseline play to level the match.
Noskova, who hit 18 aces and saved seven of nine break points, also led by a break in the deciding set before Sabalenka fought back to force another tie-break. The world number one held her nerve in the decider, winning 10-7, with an ace sealing the victory.
The win sends Sabalenka into the US Open semi-finals for a sixth consecutive year. She is also bidding for a third straight US Open title after winning in 2024 and 2025. A third consecutive crown would put her in an elite group of players to achieve the feat. Serena Williams was the last woman to win three successive US Open singles titles, from 2014 to 2016.
Sabalenka will face either American third seed Jessica Pegula or Emma Navarro in the semi-finals. She entered the quarter-finals having won her first four matches without dropping a set, including a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Taylor Townsend in the fourth round.
The victory also keeps Sabalenka’s bid to retain the world number one ranking on track, although second seed Elena Rybakina remains a threat. The Kazakh can overtake Sabalenka at the top of the rankings by winning another match in New York.
