MIRACLE ESCAPE! Coco Gauff SAVES Match Point, Rybakina CROWNED No. 1 & Final 4 is SET | US Open 2026

Elena Rybakina is the new women’s World No. 1 for the first time! Join Joel and Kim at Tennis Weekly HQ for our US Open Day 12 catch-up as we look back on her three-set victory over Qinwen Zheng and reflect on Rybakina finally reaching the top of the rankings after such a long wait. We also look back on Aryna Sabalenka’s incredible 99-week reign and what comes next for the two-time defending US Open champion. Coco Gauff battled back from a set down and saved two match points to reach another US Open semi-final against Rybakina. It was classic Coco — winning ugly, finding a way and somehow surviving when she looked to be on the brink. Did Mirra Andreeva miss her chance to close it out or did Coco come up clutch at the right moments?

On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev continued his US Open run with a straight-sets win over Botic van de Zandschulp to reach his third semi-final at Flushing Meadows, where he’ll face Karen Khachanov after Alexander Blockx was forced to retire. Is Zverev now the favourite for the title? We also get stuck into Tennis Australia CEO Andrew Abdo’s comments about potentially shortening best-of-five matches and the Australian Open’s punchy response, before looking ahead to the women’s semi-finals and making our predictions.

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00:00 – Episode Overview & Intro
01:42 – Historic WTA Top 4 Seeds Landmark
03:03 – Reflections on Alcaraz vs. Shelton & Late-Night Scheduling
04:36 – Women's Quarterfinal: Coco Gauff vs. Mirra Andreeva
10:04 – Podcast Break & Supercast Information
11:03 – Women's Quarterfinal: Elena Rybakina vs. Zheng Qinwen
14:37 – Rybakina's World No. 1 Milestone & Sabalenka's Reign
20:52 – Semi-Final Preview: Coco Gauff vs. Elena Rybakina
24:38 – Debate: Proposed Changes to Best-of-5 Sets in Grand Slams
31:15 – Men's Quarterfinal: Alexander Zverev vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
34:58 – Men's Quarterfinal: Karen Khachanov vs. Alexander Blockx
37:07 – Day 12 Predictions & Episode Wrap-Up