Elena Rybakina went up against both Coco Gauff and the US Open crowd on Thursday night.
In front of a very pro-Gauff crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, Rybakina came back from a set down to book her place in the final at Flushing Meadows, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The Kazakh star, who recently secured world number one status, will take on Aryna Sabalenka in the championship match.
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There were very few, if any, behind Rybakina during her match against Gauff, which lasted just over two hours.
In reaction to the clash, some have claimed that the US Open crowd, known for being the most raucous of the four Grand Slams, crossed the line with their treatment of Rybakina.
Fans react to the US Open crowd during Elena Rybakina’s match
On X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said: “Rybakina not getting any applause after the match is pretty pathetic. I get that the crowd was all for Coco, but come on.”
Another fan agreed, stating: “I don’t even take that US Open crowd seriously. I love the Wimbledon crowd. Home support is one thing, but [it] can’t be so bad to not applaud the winning opponent who outplayed the home player fair and square.”
One user said: “It was disappointing that they all left as soon as it finished. That’s very poor.”
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This fan argued: “Not a good look for US tennis ‘fans.’ You would never see such disrespect at any other major. It’s the exclamation point on a weeks-long narrative about how bad the Open experience has become.”
One viewer of the match said: “It was unfair and classless! Rybakina not only fought Coco but also the crowd. She did it with poise, calm and determination without getting flustered or reacting too much. I hope she wins the finals!”
Finally, this fan replied: “The NY crowd at the US Open tonight was a disgrace! Terribly sad that so many people could be so disrespectful! Elena Rybakina is a class act, and I hope she wins this tournament!”
Elena Rybakina takes the lead in the head-to-head with Coco Gauff
With her triumph, Rybakina has taken the lead once again in the head-to-head with Gauff on the WTA Tour.
Gauff won their very first match back in 2022 at the Canadian Open, and the two only recently had their second meeting.
At the 2026 edition of the Canadian Open, Rybakina levelled the scoring in their head-to-head, coming back from a set down in their semifinal matchup.
Rybakina now leads 2-1 after beating Gauff at the US Open, giving her a winning record over four of the world’s top ten players.
She trails in the head-to-head with her final opponent, Sabalenka, who has beaten Rybakina 10 times and lost seven.
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