Gauff, Sabalenka advance to U.S. Open final in session delayed by climate change protests

Coco Gauff reached her first U.S. Open final by defeating Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday night in a match interrupted for 50 minutes by environmental activists — including one who glued his bare feet to the concrete in the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands in New York City.

The toughest part for Gauff might have been closing out the victory: She needed six match points to get it done, raucously supported by a loud, partisan crowd that chair umpire Alison Hughes repeatedly implored to quiet down.

After failing to convert one match point while serving for the win at 5-3, then another four in what turned out to be the last game, Gauff got the last chance she would need when she smacked a forehand winner to cap a 40-stroke exchange that was the longest of the contest. Muchova then missed a backhand to end it.

"Some of those points, it was so loud, and I don't know if my ears are going to be OK," said Gauff, a 19-year-old from Florida who is the first American teenager to make it to the title match in New York since Serena Williams in 2001.

"I grew up watching this tournament so much, so it means a lot to be in the final. A lot to celebrate," Gauff said. "But the job is not done, so hopefully you can back me on Saturday."

Gauff was up by a set and 1-0 in the second against the Czech when three protesters disrupted play from seats in an upper level of the arena. Two of the people were escorted away relatively quickly after security guards and, eventually, police officers arrived. But it took more time to remove the person glued to the ground.

The activist group Extinction Rebellion took credit for the protest.

The victory was the 11th in a row for Gauff and the 17th in her past 18 matches, a run that began after a first-round exit at Wimbledon in July. The streak includes the two biggest titles of Gauff's career — and now she needs one more win to get an even more important championship.

She was the runner-up at the 2022 French Open and now will try to claim her first Grand Slam title.

Aussie champ Sabalenka rallies over Keys

The No. 6-seeded Gauff will face No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who rallied from a disastrous start to down No. 17 Madison Keys 0-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (10-5) to reach her first U.S. Open final.

Sabalenka, this year's Australian Open champion, had lost in the semis in the previous two U.S. Open tournaments.

She wasn't sure how she was going to get there when the hard-hitting Keys rolled through the first set in 30 minutes and opened a 5-3 lead in the second.

"You just have to keep trying, keep staying there, and keep pushing it. Maybe you'll be able to turn around this game," Sabalenka said. "Lucky me, somehow magically, I don't know how, I was able to turn around this game."

She did it by taking the two tiebreakers by a combined 17-6. The eventful night session ended just before 1 a.m. ET.

When she moved out front 7-3 in the final tiebreaker, she dropped her racket and put her hands to her face, covering a huge smile after believing she'd won. But tiebreakers in decisive sets go to 10 points.

So Sabalenka quickly realized there was work to be done and finished the job on her third match point.

Top ranking 

Sabalenka, the 25-year-old from Belarus, was already assured of rising to the top of the women's rankings on Monday even if she lost.

It appeared that's what she was going to do when the 17th-seeded Keys served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. Sabalenka broke at love.

"Obviously, I started really well. I don't think she was playing her best at the start," Keys said. "Then, from the second set, it just got a lot closer. I was obviously up a break, and I think serving for it I was tight. She played free. Then from there, it just seemed like it was really kind of neck and neck."

Keys was trying for a second trip to the U.S. Open final, where she lost to Sloane Stephens in 2017. She had her upper left leg taped before the third set but said the injury didn't affect her.

"I think everyone at the start of the tournament would obviously be really, really excited to be in the semis," Keys said, breaking into tears. "Right now it sucks. But I just think being able to take this and turn it to a positive is really possible."

A first-time tournament winner will be guaranteed when Gauff and Sabalenka play in the final on Saturday.