New York (AP) – Elena Rybakina moved into the U.S. Open semifinals on Wednesday, sealing a spot at the top of the women’s tennis rankings. The 27‑year‑old from Kazakhstan rallied from a set down to beat China’s Zheng Qinwen 3‑6, 6‑1, 6‑4, ensuring she will be ranked world No. 1 when the new WTA points are released on Monday.
Match recap
Rybakina struggled early in the first set, battling the sun and shadows in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Zheng capitalized, taking a 5‑3 lead and eventually closing the set 6‑3. After the break, Rybakina found her rhythm, dominating the second set in just 38 minutes and taking it 6‑1. The final set was a tighter affair, but Rybakina held her nerve, breaking at 5‑4 and serving out the match 6‑4.
“It’s just a number right now and of course I’m in the semis so my goal is to win the tournament,” Rybakina said after the win. “It’s an amazing achievement but you know how quick everything can change in tennis, ranking‑wise, during the match, so I feel like I just need to focus on my game, try to recover and enjoy tomorrow.”
Implications for the rankings
The victory guarantees Rybakina will end Aryna Sabalenka’s 99‑week reign at No. 1 once the updated rankings are published. Sabalenka, the current world No. 1, will still be in the draw and faces Jessica Pegula in the other semifinal, while the winner of Rybakina’s match will meet either No. 4 Coco Gauff or No. 5 Mirra Andreeva.
Background on Zheng Qinwen
Zheng, the 2024 Olympic gold‑medalist from China, entered the tournament as the world No. 121 after returning from elbow surgery and fighting through the qualifying rounds. Once a top‑four player, she is poised to climb back into the top 60 with a deep run. Her path to the quarterfinals included a dramatic comeback from 5‑0 down against Madison Keys and another from 5‑0 down in the first set against No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek.
Schedule and next match
The semifinal will be played Thursday. Rybakina will face the winner of the Gauff‑Andreeva quarterfinal, a match that promises high‑quality tennis and a potential showdown between two of the sport’s rising stars. The winner of the semifinal will advance to the final, where a new world No. 1 could be crowned.
Rybakina’s run comes after a historic night at the U.S. Open, when Ben Shelton finished his match against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in tournament history. Rybakina’s match began roughly eight hours later, adding to the marathon day of tennis for fans in Flushing Meadows.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
