US Open: Elena Rybakina Sweeps Past Naomi Osaka, Kazakh Star One Win Away From World No. 1 Ranking

Elena Rybakina overpowered Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open and moved one win away from the No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis.

Rybakina dispatched Osaka with ease on Monday. Her 6-1, 6-4 win over the fellow major winner puts her a semifinal trip away from overtaking Aryna Sabalenka as world No. 1. She next meets Zheng Qinwen, a relentless opponent who routinely claws back from massive deficits.

Zheng, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist from China, beat No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 to set up the last-eight meeting.

Zheng’s comeback run

Zheng did it again.

She became the first qualifier to reach the U.S. Open women’s quarterfinals since Emma Raducanu won the title in 2021. Zheng beat Swiatek after falling behind 5-0, repeating the pattern from her previous match when she recovered to beat Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5.

“I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say,” Zheng said after beating Swiatek.

The result carries extra weight for Zheng. She had reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals in 2023 and 2024, and made the Australian Open final in 2024, but had to come through qualifying this year after her ranking dropped following elbow surgery. Raducanu’s 2021 title made her the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the Open era, which dates to 1968.

Swiatek let the opening set slip. She could not convert two set points while serving at 5-1 and Zheng saved another when Swiatek served at 5-3. Zheng later said she was so locked into each point that she even forgot the score.

The win also reversed a lopsided rivalry. Swiatek had come in with a 7-1 record against Zheng, with Zheng’s only earlier win coming in the Olympic semi-finals in Paris two years ago, when she rallied from 4-0 down in the second set and ended Swiatek’s 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros.

“It was more that I started making mistakes from easy balls and Qinwen stopped doing mistakes," Swiatek said. "She played the balls better.”

Also Read: Coco Gauff Beats Iva Jovic In Straight Sets To Reach US Open Quarter-Finals

Rybakina’s ranking chase

Rybakina knows what is at stake.

“Of course I want it, I don't know anyone who wouldn’t wish this, but definitely that’s one of my goals,” Rybakina said. “I try to approach the same way, try to do everything I can, fight until the end my next match and let’s see what’s going to happen.”

The Kazakh won the Australian Open this year for her second major title and her No. 2 ranking is already a career best. Even if she loses on Wednesday, she can still rise to No. 1 if neither Sabalenka, Coco Gauff nor Jessica Pegula wins the title.

She made short work of Osaka. Rybakina finished the match in 1 hour, 6 minutes and sealed it with an ace. She leads the WTA Tour in aces.

Osaka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, appeared to struggle with a foot or ankle problem during the match. But Rybakina’s clean hitting kept her in control throughout the straight-sets win.

Gauff and Andreeva

Gauff is back in the quarterfinals.

The No. 4 seed beat No. 14 Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 to reach the U.S. Open last eight for the first time since winning her first major title at the tournament in 2023. She had lost in the fourth round in each of the last two years.

Next up is French Open champion Mirra Andreeva. The No. 5 seed came back to beat No. 24 Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Andreeva also showed concern for her opponent in the closing stages. She helped Potapova after Potapova injured her knee in the final game of the match.

Men’s marathon matches

Van de Zandschulp survived one of the longest nights in U.S. Open history.

He beat Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), 6-4 in 5 hours, 13 minutes, the fourth-longest match ever at the tournament. The Dutchman now meets top seed Alexander Zverev, who beat No. 21 Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3).

Gea came within a point of a rare feat. The Frenchman entered the main draw after 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud withdrew with a back injury and held a match point in the third-set tiebreaker. A lucky loser is a player who loses in the final round of qualifying but reaches the main draw when another player withdraws.

Khachanov also needed five sets. He beat No. 14 Learner Tien 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-4 in 3 hours, 50 minutes. Tien was trying to give the host country four men in the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time since five made it in 1995.

No. 8 Ben Shelton, No. 11 Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz had all advanced on Sunday. Khachanov’s win stopped that push and set up a quarterfinal against No. 28 seed Alexander Blockx.

Blockx made history for Belgium. He beat No. 24 Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to become the first Belgian man to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals.