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Friday, September 11, 2026

US.13- The Day Before the Day, 25 Years After the Day











First...

No date in the lifetime of anyone in the U.S. with an active memory of this day 25 years ago, save for any remaining from the WWII generation, more highlighted the best and worst that we have to give as humans as 9/11 did, both on that awful day, as well as on those that immediately followed and the still-ongoing psychological, political and cultural reverberations that have emanated from it in ongoing waves, if not violently richocheted from those few hours of an otherwise beautiful summer day in New York and Washington, and above rural Pennsylvania.

In the moment, we all shared in a national tragedy, and for a brief moment we were maybe never more united. But only very briefly, as the nation has likely never been able to be truly united ever since. And the condition only seems to worsen as the years go by. The reactions both inward and outward to what happened that day, while so much heroism occurred during it, have since both revealed much of the dark underbelly of the nation that would be better left turned away from polite company, as well as helped to shape the stormy landscape on which we -- and, because of the oversized influence the U.S. has on the rest of the world, everyone outside our national borders -- exist today.

Even this week's 25th anniversary memorializations have been tinged with political, religious and personal conflict that always made *this* particular date tend to warily loom on the calendar because it was clear that a lot of old wounds couldn't help but be revisited and reopened all over again. Just in the last few days, not surprisingly, even the persistent menace that eats away at the national psyche has managed to try to (literally, through time) re-emerge from those very ruins that once made up Ground Zero with a whole new set of lies that will only continue to mark divisions rather than unify.

But, hey, this is a *tennis* post, right? So I just wanted to touch on the part that tennis played on, or at least around, that day in 2001 bacause, in a sense, the notion of one of the sport's biggest moments was still lingering in the air on that early Tuesday morning, tingling with expectation of great things to come.

Remember, it had been just a few days before September 11 that Serena and Venus Williams had played in the U.S. Open singles final. The first U.S. Open women's final held at night -- previously scheduled as if anticipating their meeting for the title and wanting to take full advantage of it -- was also the first of what would be nine major finals contested between the two.

So, just days after looking at a tennis court and believing anything was possible, we looked to the sky and realized that it *truly was*, and it was the most frightening thing imaginable.

As it turned out, the Williams sisters went on to produce another quarter century of memories as the world and nation around them changed, and in many ways *de-evolved* even as the technology of the day began to exponentially dwarf the now almost-quaint aspects that made that day so chillingly memorable at the time.

Cell phones, still only semi-common personal items in 2001, led to contact with passengers of a doomed plane, and soon-to-be-destroyed buildings, and allowed for final words between loved ones that just a few years earlier wouldn't have been possible. That ability to spread news to the final hijacked plane helped spur its heroic passengers to band together to prevent yet another tragedy from occuring in Washington as theirs turned out to be the one airliner that failed to reach it intended destination.

Of course, that early technology that provided connectedness and closure then, 25 years later, has grown so "smart" and ubiquitous that it's helped make us more disconnected than ever. The world is going to turn, and dare anyone to predict its future.

Yet, it's 2026, and *Venus and Serena* were both once again playing tennis at Flushing Meadows this summer, together again on the same Ashe Staduim court where they faced off in 2001. If that and they aren't a reminder that our fates still rest in our own hands, than what is?

Two and half decades later, still a symbol for things outside of tennis, but maybe in a deeper, more universal way than realized or even imagined, their story -- even as the wins are fewer and farther between -- continues to be one that keeps on giving.

While the perseverence of the two sisters from Compton, California has rightly been highlighted all over again as they've returned (or, in Venus' case, never really gone away), their presence, once a shining new light, now brings back memories of how things once were.

I don't know, maybe it should serve as a small hint to us all that, while their and our past can never be reclaimed and re-lived as it was, their continued presence has allowed many to recapture some of the excitement and inspiration that injected itself into tennis' collective veins all those years ago, just days before what would come to known as "9/11." While nostalgia will forever be only that, that's *still* a good thing.

Maybe, looking at that example, it should be recognzied that it's *never* too late for *all* of us to recapture some of the feelings of what has been lost in recent years, little by little, wherever we can find it. If enough people can piece enough things together, maybe it'll serve as a psychic victory just as the raising of the gleaming One World Trade Center at Ground Zero years ago began the long, difficult climb back to something resembling the "normal" that so many of us once took for granted a quarter-century ago.



Of course, as with everything, that's still an ongoing process. But the ultimate success of the endeavor surely depends upon us all.



=DAY 13 NOTES=
...meanwhile, the first champions of a *real* event were crowned at this U.S. Open on Friday, and it was an historic occasion, as top-seeded Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend secured their first title in New York as a duo with a 5-7/6-0/6-2 win in the final over surprise wild card finalists Ashlyn Krueger & Robin Montgomery (who'd rallied from 8-2 down in a MTB to take their SF). The win completes a Career Doubles Slam for the duo.



Not only that, but the win makes Siniakova the first person -- male or female -- in tennis history to win a Career Doubles Slam with a *second* partner, as she previously completed a Career Golden Slam with fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

The win gives Siniakova/Townsend a 36-4 record on the season, with a 5-0 mark in finals, including a Sunshine Double and wins at RG and now the U.S. Open. Even better, Siniakova is 47-6 overall in doubles in '26, and *7-0* in finals (w/ two more partnering Zhang Shuai) this year. With those sorts of numbers, a true case can be made that, should Elena Rybakina *not* win a second major on the season and the four singles slams are carved up between four different women, that Siniakova is a legit Player of the Year candidate (well, at least "Ms.Backpin," where *all* disciplines are considered equal, or mostly so).

Need a little more for Siniakova's case? Okay. Come Monday, she'll begin her 200th career week at doubles #1, second most all-time and just 37 weeks behind all-time leader Martina Navratilova. She's also well on her way to breaking her tie with Navratilova for the most all-time season-ending doubles #1 rankings (she'll lead #2 Townsend by nearly 2000 points as next week begins). After her finish atop the rankings last year, Siniakova's fifth such season in her career, she and Navratilova were tied for the most ever in WTA history.



...the junior singles final is set, and girls' #1 Sun Xinran will get a *third* chance to win her maiden slam title. Today the 16-year old from China defeated unseeded Bannerette Melije Clarke in three sets; while #5-seeded Hordette Anna Pushareva will get a chance to win a *second* straight junior slam after her 6-1/7-5 victory over #2 Jana Kovackova.

Pushkareva defeated Sun in the Wimbledon final earlier this summer, while Sun also lost to Russian-turned-Czech Alisa Oktiabreva in the RG final in the spring.

Indentical twins Annika & Kristina Penickova will try to make it two straight years with U.S. Open girls' doubles title-winning sisters -- after the Kovackovas in '25 -- when they face off with the all-Hordette pair of Polina Berezina & Alisa Terentyeva in this weekend's final. The U.S. siblings won the AO GD title last year.



...we'll get an eighth U.S. Open wheelchair singles final between #1 Yui Kamiji and #2 Diede de Groot, who both notched straights sets SF wins today over, respectively, Aniek van Koot and Ksenia Chasteau.

During their seven-year run of final match-ups at Flushing Meadows between 2017-23, de Groot won six straight titles after dropping their original title match. It'll be their 20th overall slam singles final match-up, with de Groot holding a 16-3 record. But Kamiji won their last meeting -- a stunning 6-0/6-0 win at Wimbledon that completed her Career Golden Slam -- though there is some question about whether de Groot played that final while injured (she'd retired from her s/d in her previous event, and then didn't play again for nearly two months, winning in College Park last week while dropping just ten games in four matches).

De Groot has dropped one set in three matches in New York (vs. Lizzy de Greef), but lost just eleven total games in her other six sets. Kamiji has won three straight sets matches, but was taken to a 7-5 1st today by Van Koot.

Also today, top-seeded Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen defeated Guo Luoyao & Momoko Ohtani, 6-1/6-2, in the WC doubles final.

It's the third straight major title won by the pair in '26, and Kamiji's fifth at the U.S. Open (25th career major doubles win, breaking her tie with Van Koot for the most all-time in women's WC history).



...the third time proved to be the charm for wheelchair junior #1 seed Seira Matsuoka. After losing in the AO and Wimbledon finals to Belgian #2 seed Luna Gryp, the Japanese teenager won 7-6(3)/6-3 today to claim her maiden title.



Matsuoka doubled up on titles today, also taking the junior WC doubles with Colombia's Paula Michelle Lopez Meza, defeating the SWE/USA duo of Emma Gjerseth & Lucy Heald.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) def. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA) 5-7/6-0/6-2

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. #5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS

*GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL*
Berezina/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS) vs. (WC) A.Penickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA)

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. #2 Diede de Groot/NED

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) def. Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN) 6-1/6-2

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Seira Matsuoka/JPN def. #2 Luna Gryp/BEL 7-6(3)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 PM Lopez Meza/Matsuoka (COL/JPN) def. #2 Gjerseth/Heald (SWE/USA) 6-4/6-3









...SEPTEMBER 8, 2001... ON DAY 13:





...SEPTEMBER 10, 2001... ON DAY 13:





...SEPTEMBER 11, 2001... ON DAY 13:





...SEPTEMBER 2026... ON DAY 13:






























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*RECENT U.S. OPEN WOMEN'S DOUBLES CHAMPIONS*
2016 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2017 Chan Yung-Jan & Martina Hingis, TPE/SUI
2018 Ash Barty & CoCo Vandeweghe, AUS/USA
2019 Elise Mertens & Aryna Sabalenka, BEL/BLR
2020 Laura Siegemund & Vera Zvonareva, GER/RUS
2021 Samantha Stosur & Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2022 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Gaby Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe, CAN/NZL
2024 Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko, UKR/LAT
2025 Gaby Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe, CAN/NZL
2026 Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
[recent major winners]
2025 AO: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend (CZE/USA)
2025 RG: Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini (ITA/ITA)
2025 WI: Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens (RUS/BEL)
2025 US: Gaby Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe (CAN/NZL)
2026 AO: Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai (BEL/CHN)
2026 RG: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend (CZE/USA)
2026 WI: Guo Hanyu/Kristina Mladenovic (CHN/FRA)
2026 US: Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA

*CAREER WOMEN'S DOUBLES SLAM TITLES - active*
14...Serena Williams
14...Venus Williams
12...KATERINA SINIAKOVA
7...Barbora Krejcikova
7...Hsieh Su-wei
7...Kristina Mladenovic
6...Sara Errani
6...Elise Mertens

*CAREER OVERALL SLAM TITLES - ACTIVE*
[singles/doubles/mixed]
39 - Serena Williams, USA (23-14-2)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (7-14-2)
13 - KATERINA SINIAKOVA, CZE (0-12-1)
12 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-7-3)
10 - Sara Errani, ITA (0-6-4)
10 - Kristina Mladenovic, FRA (0-7-3)
9 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (0-5-4)
9 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE (0-7-2)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0-0)
6 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (4-2-0)
6 - Elise Mertens (0-6-0)

*U.S. OPEN "DOUBLES STAR" WINNERS*
2014 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR (WC)
2015 Martina Hingis, SUI
2016 Laura Siegemund, GER
2017 Martina Hingis, SUI
2018 Ash Barty & CoCo Vandeweghe, AUS/USA
2019 Diede de Groot & Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED (WC)
2020 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR (WC)
2021 Desirae Krawczyk, USA
2022 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Erin Routliffe, NZL
2024 Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko, UKR/LAT
2025 Li Xiaohui & Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN (WC)
2026 Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA

*2026 WTA DOUBLES TITLES*
7 - KATERINA SINIAKOVA
6 - TAYLOR TOWNSEND
4 - Zhang Shuai
[2026 duos]
5...SINIAKOVA/TOWNSEND
3...Dabrowski/Stefani
[2020-26 - individuals]
32 - KATERINA SINIAKOVA (1/6/6/3/5/4/7)
17 - TAYLOR TOWNSEND (1/0/0/3/3/4/6)
15 - Barbora Krejcikova (1/5/3/4/1/1/0)
15 - Elise Mertens (1/4/2/2/3/2/1)
15 - Luisa Stefani (1/1/2/3/1/4/3)
14 - Gaby Dabrowski (0/1/3/2/2/3/3)
[2020-26 - duos]
14...Krejcikova/Siniakova (1/5/3/3/1/1/0)
9...Errani/Paolini (0/0/0/1/4/4/0)
8...Aoyama/Shibahara (1/5/0/2/0/0/0)
8...SINIAKOVA/TOWNSEND (0/0/0/0/2/1/5)
7...Dabrowski/Routliffe (0/0/0/2/2/3/0)
7...Siegemund/Zvonareva (1/0/2/4/0/0/0)

*2026 WTA DOUBLES FINALS*
7 (7-0) = KATERINA SINIAKOVA
6 (6-0) = TAYLOR TOWNSEND
6 (3-3) = MAIA LUMSDEN
5 (4-1) = Zhang Shuai
[2026 finals - duos]
5...SINIAKOVA/TOWNSEND (5-0)
4...Dabrowski/Stefani (3-1)
4...Danilina/Krunic (1-3)

*U.S. OPEN WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[doubles]
2005 Korie Homan & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2006 Jiske Griffioen & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2007 Jiske Griffioen & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2008 --
2009 Korie Homan & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Esther Vergeer & Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer & Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 --
2013 Jiske Griffioen & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Jiske Griffioen & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2016 --
2017 Marjolein Buis & Diede de Groot, NED/NED
2018 Diede de Groot & Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2019 Diede de Groot & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2021 Diede de Groot & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2022 Diede de Groot & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2023 Yui Kamiji & Kgothatso Montjane, JPN/RSA
2024 --
2025 Li Xiaohui & Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN
2026 Yui Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN
--
NOTE: event not held in 2008/12/16/24 (Paralympics)
[2026]
AO: Li Xiaohui/Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN
RG: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN
WI: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN
US: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM DOUBLES TITLES*
[AO-RG-WI-US]
25 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN [5-6-9-5]*
24 - Aniek Van Koot, NED [7-9-3-5]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
19 - Diede de Groot, NED [5-6-3-5]*
16 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [6-3-3-4]*
12 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR [3-2-5-2]

*JUNIOR WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai BRA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 US: Yuma Takamuro, JPN
2025 AO: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 RG: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz, USA
2026 AO: Luna Gryp, BEL
2026 RG: Luna Gryp, BEL
2026 US: Seira Matsuoka, JPN
[doubles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai/Maylie Phelps, BRA/USA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 US: Rio Okano/Yuma Takamuro, JPN/JPN
2025 AO: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 RG: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz/Seira Matsuoka, USA/JPN
2026 AO: Lucy Foyster/Seira Matsuoka, GBR/JPN
2026 RG: Luna Gryp/Seira Matsuoka, BEL/JPN
2026 US: Paula Michelle Lopez Meza/Seira Matsuoka, COL/JPN

*SLAM WHEELCHAIR JR. GIRLS' SINGLES FINALS*
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai/BRA def. Yuma Takamuro/JPN
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau/FRA def. Maylee Phelps/USA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau/FRA def. Maylee Phelps/USA
2024 US: Yuna Takamuro/JPN def. Vitoria Miranda/BRA
2025 AO: Vitoria Miranda/BRA def. Sabina Czauz/USA
2025 RG: Vitoria Miranda/BRA def. Sabina Czauz/USA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz/USA def. Luna Gryp/BEL
2026 AO: Luna Gryp/BEL def. Seira Matsuoka/JPN
2026 RG: Luna Gryp/BEL def. Seira Matsuoka/JPN
2026 US: Seira Matsuoka/JPN def. Luna Gryp/BEL






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TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): (Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN (comebacks from 5-0 in back-to-back sets over two rounds)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #14 Iva Jovic/USA def. #17 Alex Eala/PHI 7-5/3-6/7-5 - 18 & 21-year olds duel in 3-hr. battle under the lights on Ashe; combine for 78 winners, not blinking under pressure of big stage)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("New #1"): Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: Sabalenka, de Groot
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA and Jessie Pegula/USA (both SF)
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Pegula, Kamiji
DOUBLES STAR: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Sofia Kenin def. Venus Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Sun, Pushkareva
BIG CITY ROLLER: Nominees: Matsuoka (jr.), de Groot, Kamiji







All for Day 13. More tomorrow.
Posted by at

US.12- Two Hearts Beat as #1


Once more into the breach...










=DAY 12 NOTES=
...the first SF of the evening on Ashe completed what has become a three-year U.S. Open triptych for #1-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and #3 Jessie Pegula. After meetings in the '24 final and '25 semis, Sabalenka stood at 2-0 in the cycle, though Pegula had won two of their three meetings since, in Wuhan last fall and on the grass in Berlin this summer (w/ Sabalenka taking a round robin win at last year's WTA Finals).

In a highly competitive 1st set characterized by big hitting and short rallies (averaging less than three shots), the difference between the two was razor thin. Through the first eleven games, Sabalenka saw a single BP (in game 4, as Pegula held for 2-2), just as did Pegula, as the #3 seed's best chance to carve out a lead in the set came and went after Sabalenka lost a 30/love lead in game 9, but hit her way through two deuces and a BP to hold for 5-4. After holding a game later, outside of the tight game 4, Pegula had lost just two other points on serve.

But with the set within reach, Sabalenka finally struck in Pegula's final service game, quickly grabbing a love/40 lead. On her second BP/SP, she fired a deep shot off the baseline, creating a forehand error off Pegula's racket that gave her the 1st at 7-5.



Sabalenka didn't let up in the 2nd and, in fact, *raised* her level as she continued to marshal the force of all her power shots for good as she's often done when in her absolute *peak* running form, challenging Pegula to keep up. She could not.

Up 2-1, Sabalenka took a 15/40 lead on Pegula's serve. After a missed forehand volley on her third BP, Sabalenka got another chance and fired off a huge forehand return winner to break for 3-1. She held for 4-1, while Pegula did the same in a tight service game to stay close at 4-2.

But from there to the finish, Sabalenka effectively took the form of a Buffalo Bills Super Bowl opponent, with Pegula --unfortunatey for her -- playing the role of her family's own NFL team (i.e. she was simply rolled over, with little to nothing she could do about it).

In a rally in which Sabalenka combined great defense with overwhelming firepower, her big crosscourt shot wasn't able to be returned by Pegula, who fell behind 40/15 and finally slammed her racket in frustration. With her own put-away at the net a point later, Sabalenka held for 5-2.

Serving to stay in the match, Pegula fell behind 15/30 in game 8. At 30/30, a Pegula long ball gave Sabalenka a MP, and the defending champ didn't play around *this* time, blasting a forehand into the corner that a lunging Pegula could barely get her racket on, ending the 7-5/6-2 match with an emphatic statement as Sabalenka next heads off to Saturday in search of just the third women's three-peat at the U.S. Open in the Open era.

This is her 19th straight win in New York.



While the #1 ranking will slip through her fingers (at least for now), Sabalenka has the chance to be the last woman standing yet again in New York, with the season's final major offering a potentially soft landing after -- just like a year ago -- what has been a frustrating slam season for the Belarusian. Two years after falling short of a three-peat at the other hard court major in Melbourne, Sabalenka's chance to get one at the second comes along with what is her eighth straight appearance in the final of the AO/US hard court slam combo going back to 2023.



The only thing that remained was to determine whether Sabalenka would get the chance to avenge her AO final loss from January against Elena Rybakina, or the two major finals she's lost to Coco Gauff (at Flushing Meadows three years ago, and then Paris last year).

In her first match as the would-be #1 ranked player, Rybakina was trying to play her way into her first U.S. Open and third career major final of her career (at a third different event). Meanwhile, Gauff looked to return to the final of the event that three years ago played host to her maiden slam title run.

It's often said in sports that an injured athlete is "day-to-day." Well, when it comes to precisely what we'll get from her game, the same can be said for #4-seeded Gauff. After winning while playing at about as low a level as she possibly could and *still* have a chance to win her QF match-up with Mirra Andreeva yesterday, Gauff opened the final women's semifinal by playing about as *well* as she could vs. #2 Rybakina.

With her athleticism shining (as always), and as she even *out-served* the soon-to-be #1, Gauff was the player who was virtually untouchable in the 1st set. Rybakina managed to save a BP to avoid going down an early break in game 2, but four games later she wasn't as fortunate. Brought toward the net with a Gauff short ball, then an easy target as she was positioned at the center of the net, Rybakina pushed a volley long to give Gauff another BP chance. A wide forehand from the Kazakh officially gave Gauff the scoreboard edge at 4-2, and Coco proceeded to run with her edge to take the 1st. After a love hold for 5-2, Gauff served for the set two games later. Again, she held at love to win 6-3.

For the set, Gauff outpaced Rybakina in aces (4-1) while winning 11/15 first serves, and 11/14 on her second, and never facing a BP.



Rybakina flipped something of a switch as she went into the 2nd, though, perhaps settling into the sort of raucous atmosphere that doesn't generally come as a natural environment for her to succeed. She opened the set with a hold at 15, then went up love/30 on Gauff's serve in game 2. Gauff got the hold, but two games later saw Rybakina get her first BP chance of the night. A long Gauff forehand gave her the game. Rybakina followed up by continuing her serving clinic in the set, holding at love for 4-1 as her first serve win percentage tickled 90% effectiveness.

But Gauff wasn't done yet. Down 4-2, Gauff was given an opening as Rybakina fell behind 15/30 on serve. A good crosscourt return elicited a Rybakina error to give Gauff double BP. After missing on a drop shot attempt on BP #1, Gauff got things back on serve a point later when the Kazakh netted a backhand. Holding for 4-4, Gauff finished up a run of 11 of 14 points.

But, with about as horrendous timing as possible, Gauff's lingering nemesis -- her forehand -- intervened to alter the plot. From there, a spate of forehand errors suddenly infested Gauff's game. They gave Rybakina an easy hold in the next game, as she moved within a game of knotting the match, and then did the same in the one that followed. After her own 11-of-14 run, Gauff would be broken at 15 -- with, naturally, a final forehand UE -- to lose 8 of the last 9 points of the set, won by Rybakina at 6-4.



The 3rd set would prove to be a more competitive contest, but it would be a continual struggle on Gauff's side of the net.

Though hardly a work of art, Gauff held in a two-deuce game 2. Then, down 2-3 and love/30, she had to dig her way out of another potentially result-tipping game. Despite facing a pair of BP, both squandered by Rybakina with backhand errors, Gauff held to tie things up at 3-3.

After a Rybakina love hold, the Kazakh got a BP opportunity as Gauff missed on a forehand in the following game. A netted Gauff backhand gave Rybakina the break and the chance to serve for the final. But, up 15/30 on return, Gauff's blazing backhand passing shot clanged off Rybakina's racket to give Coco a BP, then a backhand error from the Kazakh off a Gauff return put the set back on serve.

But it would be a short-lived resurgence, as Gauff immediately went down 15/30 in the next game. A successful Rybakina volley gave her double MP. Then, after seemingly being in control of an all-court rally, Gauff missed long on an overhead put-away to end the match, a 3-6/6-4/6-4 win by Rybakina to reach her first U.S. Open final.



Thus, Rybakina now gets the chance to solidify her new #1 ranking by becoming the only two-time major winner in what has been a fairly disjointed '26 season for the top players on tour. A win from the Kazakh would leave the #1, #3 and #4 ranked players coming into this U.S. Open without slam wins on the season. Additionally, it'd be a significant points-grab that would give Rybakina a more than pretty good chance -- even with all her 4Q points to defend from her great season-ending run in '25 -- of retaining the top spot in the year-end rankings.

With the win, she'd lead #2 Sabalenka by just over 2000 points, while a Sabalenka three-peat would mean Rybakina's lead was just 626. Remember, last year, Rybakina ended the season on a 14-2 jaunt down the stretch, reaching the Wuhan 1000 QF, winning a title in Ningbo, then retiring in the Tokyo 1000 SF before winning the WTA Finals title. Sabalenka played just two events after the U.S. Open, reaching the Wuhan SF (after a win over Rybakina in the QF) and then losing to Rybakina in the WTAF final.

Less than eight months after coming back from 3-0 down in the 3rd to defeat Sabalenka in Melbourne to win her first AO title, *the* win that made her rise to #1 possible, Rybakina now stands between the soon-to-be-#2 and her third straight title in New York.

With this match-up, the two will have faced off in the five biggest hard court events over the past ten months: with Rybakina winning in the WTAF and AO finals, and Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final and Miami SF. The U.S. Open will be the "rubber match."

To the victor goes the spoils. Well, unless Aryna wins, then I guess they'll have to share them.

...the junior singles semifinals will include three Top 5 seeds, with #1 Sun Xinran and #2 Jana Kovackova joining #5-seeded Wimbledon winner Anna Pushkareva. The lone upset on Thursday featured unseeded Bannerette Chukwumelije (Melije) Clarke knocking off #8 Nana Silva.

...a possible eighth U.S. Open final match-up between Yui Kamiji and Diede de Groot remained on track after today's QF, with both the top two seeds advancing to the SF along with #4 Aniek Van Koot.

Kamiji and de Groot faced off in seven straight U.S. Open finals from 2017-23 (with de Groot winning six straight titles) then, after a Paralympic summer in '24, last year Kamiji got the win in a QF match-up in de Groot's comeback season following hip surgery. Kamiji went on to win the title.

The other QF today was the dramatic highlight, as Pastry Ksenia Chasteau defeated Wang Ziying in three sets. After failing to serve out the match at 5-3 in the 3rd, with three MP, Chasteau broke Wang in the next game on her sixth overall MP to reach her second slam SF (w/ her RG final from earlier this year). The 20-year old remains the lone slam breakout performer from the new generation of women's rollers, as Lizzy de Greef (though higher ranked, at #5 to Chasteau's #8) has yet to advance out of any slam QF. De Greef lost in three sets in the 1st Round this year to de Groot.

Chasteau faces de Groot next, with the 24-time singles slam champ 3-0 in their career head-to-head.



Chasteau's quick rise should maybe come as no surprise, as the Pastry is one of the rare rollers who was actually a promising tennis player before taking up the wheelchair sport. She'd started the sport at age 4 (in 2010) in Marseille before a 2021 motorcycle accident in which she and her father lost their left legs. She began her WC tennis journey later that year, and by 2023 was the junior #1 (she won the '23 U.S. Open girls' WC crown), then took RG in '24.

In the doubles final, #1 seeds Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen will face off with Guo Luoyao & Momoko Ohtani, who upset #2 seeds and defending U.S. Open champs Li Xiaohui/Wang today.

Kamiji/Zhu will be trying to win a third straight major in 2026 (veteran Zhu had won zero slam titles before their teaming), as Kamiji seeks her fifth U.S. Open and 25th career major doubles win. Guo & Ohtani are both seeking their first major titles.

...the junior wheelchair final will feature a third 2026 slam final match-up (of the three competitions held, as Wimbledon still doesn't have a junior WC event) between Japan's top-seeded Seira Matsuoka and #2-seeded Belgian Luna Gryp. So far, Gryp is 2-0 in those finals, defeating Matsuoka in Melbourne and Paris.

Gryp lost last year's U.S. Open final to Bannerette Sabina Czauz, who made her debut in the women's MD this year, losing to Jinte Bos.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) vs. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES SF*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. Melije Clarke/USA
#5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS vs. #2 Jana Kovackova/CZE

*GIRLS DOUBLES SF*
#1 Makarova/Sun (RUS/CHN) vs. Berezina/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS)
Rajeshwaran Revathi/Sushkova (IND/UKR) vs. (WC) A.Penickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA)

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES SF*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. #4 Aniek Van Koot/NED
Ksenia Chasteau/FRA vs. #2 Diede de Groot/NED

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) vs. Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN)

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Seira Matsuoka/JPN vs. #2 Luna Gryp/BEL

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 PM Lopez Meza/Matsuoka (COL/JPN) vs. #2 Gjerseth/Heald (SWE/USA)









...SIGH, ESPN IS SUCH A CELEBRITY WHORE... ON DAY 12:


Any celebrity sighted in the crowd, no matter how nominal, managed to get a shot (or three or four) during tonight's SF matches. As if it matters.

The practice is almost as off-putting -- well, not really -- as the relentless favoritism shown to the U.S. players during on-set discussions, as if everyone listening desires the U.S. players to win every match *just because* they're U.S. players. Yeah, I don't think *real* tennis fans are built that way... but ESPN doesn't really try to play to anything more than casual or first-time viewers most of the time.

That said, the ONE time the constant celebrity cut-in shots worked: after Gauff broke Rybakina when she served for the match, Michelle Obama was seen shaking her head, with an "of *course* she breaks there... she's Coco" expression on her face. It was THE reaction of the moment, and the one everyone else surely *felt*, as well.
























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*MOST 2020-2026 WTA FINAL MATCHUPS *
7...RYBAKINA/SABALENKA - 2023,24,25,26 = Rybakina 4-2
5...Sabalenka/Swiatek - 2022,23,24 = Swiatek 4-1
4...Gauff/Sabalenka - 2023,25,26 = tied 1-1
3...Pegula/Sabalenka - 2024,25 = Sabalenka 3-0
3...Pegula/Swiatek - 2023,25 = Swiatek 2-1

*RECENT WTA #1 vs. #2 MATCH-UPS*
2019 WTA Finals SF - #1 Barty d. #2 Ka.Pliskova
2023 Stuttgart Final - #1 Swiatek d. #2 Sabalenka
2023 Madrid Final - #2 Sabalenka d. #1 Swiatek
2023 WTA Finals SF - #2 Swiatek d. #1 Sabalenka
2024 Madrid Final - #1 Swiatek d. #2 Sabalenka
2024 Rome Final - #1 Swiatek d. #2 Sabalenka
2025 Roland Garros Final - #2 Gauff d. #1 Sabalenka
2026 U.S. Open Final - #1 Sabalenka vs #2 Rybakina

*SLAM FINALS IN 2020s*
9 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (4-4)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0)
4 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (2-1)
3 - Coco Gauff, USA (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (0-3)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (0-2)
2 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-2)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (0-2)
[SLAM SF 2020-26]
15 - SABALENKA (9-6)*
9 - Swiatek (6-3)
7 - GAUFF (3-4)*
5 - RYBAKINA (4-1)*
5 - Muchova (2-3)
4 - PEGULA (1-3)*
[2026 SLAM SF BY NATION]
4 - USA (0-4) - Gauff, Pegula
3 - UKR (0-3)
2 - CZE (2-0)
2 - BLR (2-0) - Sabalenka
2 - KAZ (2-0) - Rybakina
2 - RUS (1-1)
1 - POL (1-0)


*MOST WTA FINALS in 2026*
5 - ARYNA SABALENKA (3-1)
5 - ELENA RYBAKINA (2-2)
5 - Jessie Pegula (2-3)
4 - Mirra Andreeva (3-1)
4 - Karolina Muchova (2-2)

*MOST TOP 10 WINS in 2026 (#1 wins)*
9 - Rybakina(1)
8 - Kostyuk, Svitolina
7 - Eala, Pegula(1), Sabalenka
6 - Muchova
5 - Gauff, Mboko
[hard court]
8 - Rybakina(1)
7 - Sabalenka
6 - Pegula
5 - Mboko, Svitolina
4 - Eala, Kostyuk
3 - Bencic, Gauff, Muchova, Swiatek

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "IT" WINNERS*
2017 [Jr. Wild Card] Coco Gauff, USA
2018 [Court] (new) Louis Armstrong Stadium
2019 [Canadian] Bianca Andreescu, CAN
2020 [Champion Moms] Vera Zvonareva/RUS and Jordanne Whiley/GBR
2021 [Teens] Leylah Fernandez/CAN and Emma Raducanu/GBR
2022 [Diede Slam] Diede de Groot, NED [WC]
2023 [Summer of...] Coco Gauff, USA
2024 [Bannerette Teen] Iva Jovic, USA
2025 [Crusher Sisters] Alena & Jana Kovackova, CZE
2026 [New #1] Elena Rybakina, KAZ

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "LAST BANNERETTE STANDING"*
2017 Sloane Stephens (W)
2018 Serena Williams (RU)
2019 Serena Williams (RU)
2020 Serena Williams and Jennifer Brady (SF)
2021 Shelby Rogers (4th)
2022 Coco Gauff and Jessie Pegula (QF)
2023 Coco Gauff (W)
2024 Jessie Pegula (RU)
2025 Amanda Anisimova (RU)
2026 Coco Gauff and Jessie Pegula (SF)

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "LADY OF THE EVENING" WINNERS*
2016 Madison Keys, USA
2017 "The Late Show starring Madison Keys"
2018 Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP
2019 Serena Williams, USA
2020 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2021 Maria Sakkari, GRE
2022 "Serena Williams: The End"
2023 Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2024 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2025 "Exquisitely Back in the City" (Sharapova receives HoF ring)
2026 Sofia Kenin vs. Venus Williams latest 1r finish (2:02 a.m.)




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TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): (Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN (comebacks from 5-0 in back-to-back sets over two rounds)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #14 Iva Jovic/USA def. #17 Alex Eala/PHI 7-5/3-6/7-5 - 18 & 21-year olds duel in 3-hr. battle under the lights on Ashe; combine for 78 winners, not blinking under pressure of big stage)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("New #1"): Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA and Jessie Pegula/USA (both SF)
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Pegula, (WC)
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Sofia Kenin def. Venus Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
BIG CITY ROLLER: x







All for Day 12. More tomorrow.
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