Sabalenka Edges Noskova in US Open Quarterfinal Thriller

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still standing in New York. The two-time defending champion survived a three-set battle against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova on Tuesday to reach the 2026 US Open semifinals.

Sabalenka won 7-6(7-1), 3-6, 7-6(10-7) in 2 hours and 22 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The result keeps her quest for a historic three-peat alive.

Power Meets Precision

Sabalenka arrived in Flushing Meadows as the favorite and the player with unfinished business. She has not dropped a set before this match in the tournament and holds an 18-match winning streak at the US Open.

Noskova, 21, entered as the sixth seed and the player with the hottest major form. The Czech won Wimbledon in July for her first Grand Slam title and arrived in New York on an 11-match winning streak at majors.

Their head-to-head favored Sabalenka 2-0 coming in. The most recent meeting came in the Indian Wells semifinals in March, when Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-4.

source Wikimedia Commons

The first set followed the script many expected. Sabalenka took control early, broke serve, and closed it out in a one-sided tiebreak. Noskova then raised her level. She took the second set 6-3 and forced a decider, the first set Sabalenka had dropped all tournament.

The Decider That Defined the Day

The third set swung both ways. Noskova broke to lead 3-2. Sabalenka immediately broke back. They stayed on serve until a 10-point match tiebreak decided it. Sabalenka closed it out 10-7.

The win sends Sabalenka into her sixth straight US Open semifinal. Only Serena Williams had previously reached that mark. A third consecutive title would place her alongside Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to three-peat at the US Open in the Open Era.

Noskova’s run still marks a career first at Flushing Meadows. She had never gone past the third round here before this year.

source Wikimedia Commons

Sabalenka’s ranking is also on the line. Elena Rybakina can take the No. 1 spot if she reaches the semifinals later in the week. Sabalenka has said she is focused only on the matches in front of her.

Watch the official US Open highlights and recaps here: US Open Tennis Championships YouTube

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Sources

BBC Sport, ESPN, WTA official site, US Open official site, Flashscore