The semifinals will feature Sabalenka against Pegula, and Rybakina battling Gauff. These four spots were claimed by the tournament's seeds one through four. The last time the US Open witnessed such a lineup in the women's singles was in 1975, with Chris Evert, Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova, and Evonne Goolagong. Across all four Grand Slams, the most recent instance of the top 4 seeds reaching the women's semifinals was Wimbledon 2009.

Aryna Sabalenka arrived in New York as the world number one and a two-time defending champion. She won her four opening rounds without dropping a set, then overcame Linda Noskova 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7) in the quarterfinals.

This marks Sabalenka's sixth consecutive year reaching the US Open semifinals. Should she win the title, the Belarusian player would become the first player to win the women's singles three consecutive years at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams from 2012-2014.

However, Sabalenka is certain to lose her world number one ranking after the tournament, regardless of the results in the final two rounds. Elena Rybakina will claim the top spot on the WTA rankings. The Kazakhstani player mounted a comeback to defeat Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals, accumulating enough points to reach the top of the WTA rankings for the first time. She ended Sabalenka's 99-week reign as world number one, simultaneously becoming the first Kazakhstani player, male or female, to rank world number one.

Rybakina celebrates her quarterfinal victory over Zheng Qinwen at the US Open, on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York, USA on 9/9. *Photo: AP*

Rybakina's next opponent is Coco Gauff. The 2023 champion recently escaped a challenge from Mirra Andreeva, losing the opening set 2-6 and saving two match points in the second set tie-break. Gauff won the tie-break 9-7, then took the final set 6-2, securing her second semifinal appearance at her home Grand Slam.

The Sabalenka-Pegula match is a rematch of the 2024 final, where Sabalenka won 7-5, 7-5 to claim her first New York title. Pegula is making her third consecutive semifinal appearance this year, having come from behind to defeat fellow American Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

In contrast to the women's draw, the men's semifinals feature Alexander Zverev, Karen Khachanov, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe. The spotlight falls on the two American players, Shelton and Tiafoe.

Shelton eliminated Carlos Alcaraz in a match lasting 4 hours and 28 minutes, with a score of 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7). The match concluded at 3:33 AM, the latest finish in US Open history. This victory also helped Shelton break a series of losing streaks. Before the quarterfinals, he had lost all three previous encounters with Alcaraz and all 17 matches against top 3 opponents.

Tiafoe also needed five sets to overcome Alex Michelsen. The 28-year-old lost the two opening sets and was on the verge of elimination when Michelsen served for the match in the third set. He then rallied to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6), reaching the US Open semifinals for the third time in five years.

Zverev during his quarterfinal victory over Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open, on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York, USA on 9/9. *Photo: AP*

The Shelton-Tiafoe match guarantees an American representative in the men's singles final. The two previously met in the 2023 US Open quarterfinals, where Shelton won in four sets. The winner of this rematch will have the chance to end the 23-year wait for an American men's singles Grand Slam title, a drought that began after Andy Roddick's victory in 2003.

The other semifinal pits Zverev against Khachanov. Zverev, the highest remaining seed in the men's draw, aims for his second Grand Slam of the year after winning Roland Garros. Khachanov returns to the US Open semifinals for the first time since 2022 and is still seeking his first Grand Slam final.

These eight players create two contrasting narratives at Flushing Meadows. In the women's draw, the top four contenders all reached the semifinals for the first time in 51 years, while the world number one ranking shifted from Sabalenka to Rybakina. In the men's draw, upsets paved the way for Shelton and Tiafoe to create an all-American semifinal, bringing the host nation closer to ending a Grand Slam title drought spanning over two decades.