When the US Open started, many people predicted that players like Iva Jovic or Marta Kostyuk might be the dark horses. But after winning her 4th-round match 7-5, 5-7, and 6-4, tennis insiders have picked Linda Noskova as their dark horse to go all the way.
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“I was thinking about this morning; we have barely mentioned and she’s under the radar… If she wins this tournament, she’s the best player in 26. Linda Noskova,” said Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s former coach.
Gilbert knows what it takes to win the US Open because Coco Gauff did it under him in 2023. His praise reads as a warning for Sabalenka and any future opponents who have already seen what she is capable of a few months ago.
Brad Gilbert and Ajla Tomljanović have both noticed how calmly she handles the pressure at the US Open. Her latest battle against Marta Kostyuk showed exactly why their confidence continues growing around her.
The spotlight may be on Sabalenka, Pegula and Rybakina. But Noskova has already shown she doesn’t need the hype to make noise.
Her Wimbledon breakthrough quietly changed the conversation. Now seeded just No. 6 at the US Open, despite a previous best of only the quarterfinals, Noskova enters New York with the kind of momentum that makes her a genuine dark horse.
Noskova started strongly against Kostyuk, taking the opening set 7-5. She then reached 5-4 with two match points, but Kostyuk refused to let her finish.
Noskova answered by breaking at 3-3 before closing the match 6-4 on her sixth match point.
That fight looked familiar because Noskova had already shown the same response against Ann Li. She won their opening set 6-2, dropped the second-set tiebreak, then controlled the decider 6-2. And when we add that to her straight-set wins over Katie Volynets and Lanlana Tararudee, it gives her something earlier hard-court months tournaments didn’t offer.
Before arriving here, Noskova had mixed singles results throughout the 2026 hard-court season. She reached the Indian Wells semifinals, but struggled to build long runs at other events.
Brisbane ended in the third round, while Miami and Toronto were early exits, but Cincinnati did show improvement. She reached Cincinnati’s fourth round before losing to Amanda Anisimova, leaving her hard-court record uneven.
That inconsistency makes her current run even more interesting as the tournament moves into its closing stages.
The biggest reason people are watching Noskova comes from what happened in the Wimbledon final. She beat Karolína Muchová 6-2 in the opening set, then lost the second 5-7. Muchová had five championship points, but Noskova took control and won the final set 6-3.
Now Sabalenka stands in front, but Gilbert and Tomljanović believe Noskova can get past the World No.1. Her ability to reset after setbacks could make this quarter-final much closer than expected.
What does Linda Noskova’s path to the US Open final look like?
Linda Noskova is now two wins away from the US Open final, but the road ahead could hardly be tougher. First comes Aryna Sabalenka, who has not dropped a set in New York.
If Noskova gets past her, Jessica Pegula could await in the semifinal. Beyond them, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, or Naomi Osaka remain possible final opponents.
Sabalenka will bring power, but Noskova has already shown she can survive pressure against Marta Kostyuk.
Sabalenka has won both previous meetings, but Noskova knows exactly what awaits her now.
If she gets through Sabalenka, Pegula could be waiting after reaching another US Open quarterfinal. Pegula has already survived a tough battle against Sorana Cirstea and knows these big moments very well.
But Noskova’s ability to change pace could make Pegula work harder for every point. Her calm play could also test Pegula if their rallies start stretching deep into games.
Then comes the final, and that would be a completely different match for Noskova. The names across the net could change, but the pressure would only become bigger. Rankings, previous meetings, and numbers would not matter anymore once the first ball is served in the final.
By then, Noskova would simply need to handle that moment better than whoever stands across from her.