Top Four Seeds Set for US Open Women’s Semifinals Showdown in New York

The U.S. Open women’s semifinals promise a marquee lineup at Flushing Meadows, with the tournament’s top four seeds all still alive as the event moves into its final days at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens.

No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka will open the evening session against No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in a rematch of the 2024 final, which Sabalenka won in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, to capture her first title at the year’s final Grand Slam. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The nightcap pits No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina against Coco Gauff, with play beginning no earlier than 8:10 p.m. ET. Rybakina arrives with added momentum: she overtook Sabalenka to claim the world No. 1 ranking by defeating Qinwen Zheng in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. She also holds a recent head-to-head edge over Gauff, having beaten her last month in Toronto.

Broadcast details

• Sabalenka vs. Pegula: 7 p.m. ET
• Gauff vs. Rybakina: no sooner than 8:10 p.m. ET
• Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium, Queens, N.Y.
• TV/streaming: ESPN

The matches air on ESPN, the sports network operated by The Walt Disney Company. Disney’s sports division remains a significant piece of its portfolio, which also spans entertainment and experiences segments. Shares of Disney (NYSE: DIS) closed at $105.82, up 1.57% from the previous close of $104.18, giving the entertainment giant a market capitalization of roughly $181.8 billion.

Semifinal night in Queens traditionally draws strong linear and streaming audiences, and with both the reigning champion and the newly crowned world No. 1 in action, Thursday’s session offers high stakes on both the rankings and the title chase.

Both winners will advance to the U.S. Open women’s final, with the championship match to follow this weekend.

What to watch

• Viewership figures for the ESPN broadcasts, given the rankings storyline and the 2024 final rematch.
• Whether Rybakina’s rise to world No. 1 continues with a win over Gauff, who lost to her in Toronto last month.
• Any post-match commentary on scheduling and court conditions following the back-to-back evening session.

Source: original release