NEW YORK (Reuters) - Elena Rybakina overpowered Coco Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4 in a fierce U.S. Open semi-final on Thursday to secure a title showdown with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and stay on course for a third Grand Slam crown.
After ensuring she will dethrone Sabalenka and leave Flushing Meadows as the world number one, Rybakina can also deny the Belarusian a third straight title in New York if she prevails in Saturday's showpiece.
Gauff absorbed relentless pressure and stayed strong from the back to draw errors from the Kazakh, breaking in the sixth game and taking the opening set in front of a roaring crowd that included former first lady Michelle Obama.
"I felt in the first set that it was a very good start and it was one break, but of course, there are nerves," a relieved Rybakina said on court.
"Coco's a great player, it's always tough to play against her ... it's very difficult to dictate the rallies. I just took a deep breath and just had a positive talk with myself to try and show some good tennis."
Rybakina stayed cool and capitalised on some sloppy play by the fourth-seeded American in the second set to level the match at one set apiece and silence the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, before ramping up the intensity in the decider.
The 27-year-old gained control with her power and broke to go 5-3 ahead in the decider, before Gauff hit back with a break of her own, but the American's comeback bid faltered when she could not hold serve and Rybakina broke to close out the win.
Gauff's defeat, coupled with that of compatriot Jessica Pegula in the earlier semi-final, mean that no American woman will have played in a Grand Slam final this year, marking the first time this has happened since 2006.