Second alternate Alexandrova had sat on the sidelines all week but her patience proved worthwhile on Wednesday when Keys – unable to advance – withdrew just hours before her match with Rybakina.
The 30-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2025, received the nod after fellow Russian and first option Mirra Andreeva, who is also competing in the doubles, declared she was not fit to play.
Alexandrova started impressively but squandered three break points before returning a forehand wide to hand the first break and a 5-4 lead to Rybakina.
The big-hitting Rybakina, sporting tape on her serving shoulder, served out the first set to love before breaking early in the second courtesy of a backhand error off her opponent’s racquet.
As Alexandrova’s serve faltered, Rybakina stepped up a gear and she doubled her advantage with a brutal forehand winner on break point, only to immediately lose one of her breaks when serving for the match.
Her struggle to get over the finish line continued, forced to save two break points in her next service game, before eventually sealing victory on her second match point as Alexandrova sent a backhand long.
“Each win gives you confidence,” said Rybakina, 26. “Hopefully I can continue.”
In the doubles, 2022 champions Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens confirmed their semi-final berth with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Italian pair Paolini and Sara Errani.
They join Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko in advancing from the Martina Navratilova Group.
Reigning champ Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula while Amanda Anisimova upset Naomi Osaka to make first US Open final.
Published On 5 Sep 20255 Sep 2025
Amanda Anisimova rallied from a set down to defeat four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-3 and reach the US Open final, where she will take on holder Aryna Sabalenka for another shot at a maiden major crown.
“Oh my God. It means the world,” the 24-year-old said on Thursday after reaching her first final at Flushing Meadows.
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“I’m trying to process that right now. It’s absolutely a dream come true. This has been a dream of mine like forever to be in the US. Open final and the hope is to be the champion.”
Twice US Open champion Osaka was playing in her first major semifinal since 2021 and embraced the big occasion in the prime-time glare of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The pair twice traded breaks in a tight opening set, and after a delayed line call by the automated system disrupted play, Osaka refocused and let out a big roar when Anisimova hit a shot into the net on set point in the tiebreak.
The 23rd seed struggled to carry the momentum forward in the next set, however, with Anisimova matching Osaka’s intensity.
After the players traded ferocious hits for 12 games in the next set, Anisimova pounced in the tiebreak to drag the match to a decider.
The eighth seed, who lost 6-0 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final two months ago, surged ahead 4-1 thanks to a forehand winner and held her nerve from there to close out the victory and reach back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
“She was really giving me a run for the final. I wasn’t sure I would make it past the finish line. I tried to dig deep. It was a huge fight out there,” Anisimova added.
“I tried to stay positive. There was a lot of nerves in the beginning and that’s something I’m trying to work on. Yeah, this tournament means so much to me that I think that was really getting to me.
“In the end, you’re just trying to fight your way through. I’m trying to enjoy the moment. We were both playing amazing tennis, and sometimes that was like ‘how are we making these shots?’ but we were and we just kept going.”
Anisimova (pictured) will play defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final on Saturday [Kena Betancur/AFP]
Sabalenka keeps back-to-back dream alive
Reigning champion Sabalenka came from behind to beat American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in three sets to return to the US Open final.
World number one Sabalenka overcame Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a rerun of last year’s final.
It’s the Belarusian’s third successive appearance in the Flushing Meadows final.
“It was a really tough match – she played incredible tennis as always and I had to work really hard to get this win,” said Sabalenka.
“Just super happy to be back in the final and hopefully I can go all the way again.”
Sabalenka, 27, is seeking to become the first player to win consecutive singles titles in New York since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012-2014.
She has now made the final at four of the last five Grand Slams but has not added to her haul of three majors since winning the 2024 US Open.
“I’ll go out there on Saturday and I’ll fight for every point like the last point of my life,” she said.
No 1-seeded Sabalanka will be trying to become the first woman to claim consecutive championships at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 2013 and 2014 [File: Kena Betancur/AFP]
