ELENA RYBAKINA ENSURED a rise to the world number one ranking for the first time in her career by defeating Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in Wednesday’s US Open quarter-finals.
The 27-year-old Kazakh star rallied to defeat China’s Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 after two hours and 14 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium, ensuring she will replace Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus atop next week’s rankings.
“It’s just a number right now,” Rybakina said after the match. “Of course I’m in the semis. It’s an amazing achievement (but) during the match I feel like I just need to focus on my game.”
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Rybakina advanced to a Thursday semi-final against the later winner between fourth-ranked American Coco Gauff, twice a major champion, and Russian 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the fifth-ranked reigning French Open champion from Russia.
Rybakina, who had been 0-6 in prior US Open matches after dropping the first set, seeks her third Grand Slam title after winning at Wimbledon in 2022 and at this year’s Australian Open.
“It’s tough to find words. It was a difficult match… I didn’t start that well; I was too negative,” said Rybakina, who had played all of her prior matches at night.
“It has been an early match. In my head I was complaining about the shadow … I’m glad I pushed all the negative thoughts away. I just kept telling myself: ‘Keep fighting’.”
Rybakina, the second seed, was among four women with a chance to leave Flushing Meadows as world number one, but her victory ended the top spot hopes for Sabalenka, Gauff and third-ranked American Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka and Pegula will meet in Thursday’s other semi-final.
Reigning Olympic champion Zheng, 23, missed out on her first US Open semi-final. She lost at the 2024 Australian Open in her only Grand Slam final appearance.
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Tennis has a new world number one as Rybakina reaches US Open semis
ELENA RYBAKINA ENSURED a rise to the world number one ranking for the first time in her career by defeating Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in Wednesday’s US Open quarter-finals.
The 27-year-old Kazakh star rallied to defeat China’s Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 after two hours and 14 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium, ensuring she will replace Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus atop next week’s rankings.
“It’s just a number right now,” Rybakina said after the match. “Of course I’m in the semis. It’s an amazing achievement (but) during the match I feel like I just need to focus on my game.”
Rybakina advanced to a Thursday semi-final against the later winner between fourth-ranked American Coco Gauff, twice a major champion, and Russian 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the fifth-ranked reigning French Open champion from Russia.
Rybakina, who had been 0-6 in prior US Open matches after dropping the first set, seeks her third Grand Slam title after winning at Wimbledon in 2022 and at this year’s Australian Open.
“It’s tough to find words. It was a difficult match… I didn’t start that well; I was too negative,” said Rybakina, who had played all of her prior matches at night.
Rybakina, the second seed, was among four women with a chance to leave Flushing Meadows as world number one, but her victory ended the top spot hopes for Sabalenka, Gauff and third-ranked American Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka and Pegula will meet in Thursday’s other semi-final.
Reigning Olympic champion Zheng, 23, missed out on her first US Open semi-final. She lost at the 2024 Australian Open in her only Grand Slam final appearance.
– © AFP 2026
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