SPORTS

Aryna Sabalenka edges Linda Noskova to keep alive hopes of a 3rd straight US Open title

World No. 1 fights past Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in a three-set thriller to reach her sixth straight US Open semifinal and keep her three-peat bid alive

By Associated Press Published: 2026-09-09T13:32:00+04:00 1 min read
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, celebrates winning a match against Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in New York. Photo credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, celebrates winning a match against Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in New York. Photo credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

New York - Aryna Sabalenka kept alive her hopes for a third straight U.S. Open championship by fighting off Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) on Tuesday in a thrilling quarterfinal matchup of major champions.

Sabalenka finished off the match with a second-serve ace to turn back the Wimbledon champion and reach the semifinals in Flushing Meadows for the sixth straight year.

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, left, and Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, meet at the net after Sabalenka won a match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in New York. Photo credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Sabalenka - who needed to win to maintain the No. 1 ranking - will face either No. 3 Jessica Pegula or No. 26 Emma Navarro on Thursday in the semifinals.

Noskova, the No. 6 seed, won her first major title at the All England Club and narrowly missed becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to follow a title on the grass by reaching the final four on the hardcourts of New York.