Aryna Sabalenka kept her hopes alive of winning the U.S. Open for the third time.

She beat Linda Noskova in a tense quarterfinal on Tuesday.

The score was 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (10-7).

Sabalenka said she thought the match was over at one point in the third set.

That feeling helped her relax and try her shots.

She finished the match with an ace on her second serve.

Sabalenka needed the win to keep any chance of holding the No. 1 ranking.

She will play either Jessica Pegula or Emma Navarro in the semifinals on Thursday.

Noskova is the Wimbledon champion.

She came close to being the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the U.S. Open semifinals after winning a major on grass.

Noskova led 4-2 in the third set.

But Sabalenka broke back to make the score 4-all.

Sabalenka said she played with great energy at that moment.

That gave her confidence.

Noskova had more winners and aces than Sabalenka.

But Sabalenka won the match tiebreaker after Noskova made a double fault at 4-3.

Sabalenka will lose the No. 1 ranking if Elena Rybakina beats Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday.

She has held that ranking for 99 weeks.

If Rybakina loses, Sabalenka can keep the ranking by winning the title.

Noskova’s run was her best at the U.S. Open.

Before winning Wimbledon this year, she had reached only one major quarterfinal.