Top four seeds in historic semi-final line-up

For the first time since 1975, the top four seeds in the women's US Open singles draw have reached the semi-finals at the New York major. All four semi-finalists started the US Open with a chance of being world number one after the end of the tournament. Coco Gauff's reaction upon learning she was part of a US Open semi-final line-up that has not been seen in more than half a century sums up the magnitude of the moment. Now, 51 years later, the stars have aligned once again with Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and Gauff all surviving three-set thrillers to create a semi-final line-up for the ages. According to former British number one Annabel Croft, 'How amazing - it doesn't get much better than that does it?' has become her mantra for the tournament. Croft, who won the 1993 Wimbledon title, has felt 'fantastic' throughout the tournament, expressing her enthusiasm for the upcoming matches. This historic semi-final line-up hints at a shift away from the unpredictable landscape that has characterised the women's game in recent years. Since the start of 2020, there have been 13 different Grand Slam women's singles champions, compared to just seven on the men's side. The current top seed, Aryna Sabalenka, will face American Jessica Pegula in Thursday's first semi-final, while Elena Rybakina takes on fourth seed Coco Gauff afterwards. Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win three successive US Open titles. Pegula, on the other hand, is the only player remaining in the women's draw still chasing a maiden Grand Slam. The pair need no introduction to each other, having faced each other 13 times, including in the past two US Open tournaments. Sabalenka denied Pegula a first major title in the 2024 final and fought back to win in last year's semi-finals. Pegula attributes her motivation to the rivalry, saying 'It's fun to look at it like a rivalry. I think that's what motivates me.' The stage is set for an epic battle between two of the sport's top players.