Aryna Sabalenka stepped onto the U.S. Open court with one mission: become the third woman ever to win this event three years in a row. That dream almost shattered today as Linda Nosková pushed the defending champion to her absolute limit in a grueling quarterfinals match. Sabalenka eventually prevailed in three sets, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6, advancing to the semifinals, but it took two tiebreak wins and nearly two-and-a-half hours to barely survive Nosková’s incredible challenge.
Nosková Fought Back from the Brink in a Wild First Set
Sabalenka roared out of the gate like a freight train, snatching the first seven points off Nosková and jumping to an early 2-0 lead. It looked like a routine day at the office, but Nosková clearly didn’t get the memo. She finally broke through in the fourth game, making it 3-1, and from there, the momentum started to shift. Nosková clawed her way back, tying the first set at 5-5 after Sabalenka’s dominant start. Suddenly, Sabalenka was looking at a shocking loss in the first set. But the world No. 1 rallied, forcing a tiebreak, where she again jumped out to a massive lead, winning the first six points. Nosková managed to get one back, but Sabalenka closed it out, taking the first set 7-6. Talk about a roller coaster!
Nosková Breaks Through, Stuns Sabalenka in Second Set
After the tight first set, Nosková came out swinging in the second. She grabbed a 2-1 lead, battling Sabalenka point for point. Just when it seemed we were in for another marathon back-and-forth, Nosková found another gear. She took the next three games to go up 5-2, shocking everyone. Sabalenka managed to grab one more game, but it wasn’t enough. Nosková closed out the set 6-3, marking the first time Sabalenka had dropped a set at the 2026 U.S. Open. Even wilder? It was the first time in their head-to-head history that Nosková had ever taken a set off Sabalenka. Nosková didn’t just win it; she played an all-around better game, nailing four aces and limiting her unforced errors, with a stellar 83 percent win rate on her first serve. She was red-hot!
The Final Set, and Another Tiebreak That Almost Got Away
Nosková rode that momentum straight into the final set. With the score tied 2-2, she won the next two games, taking a crucial lead. Her serve looked incredibly strong, racking up three more aces. Sabalenka, the champion she is, quickly bounced back, evening the set at 4-4 and then taking the next game, putting her just one game away from victory. But Nosková refused to quit, tying things up again. The two traded the next two games, pushing this epic battle to yet another tiebreak. Like the rest of the match, it was a back-and-forth slugfest. Nosková went toe-to-toe with Sabalenka, but in the end, Sabalenka showed her grit, closing out the tiebreak to win the final set 7-6. She is moving on to the semifinals. What a match!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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