Elena Rybakina Advances to US Open Quarter-Finals

Elena Rybakina secured her place in the US Open quarter-finals with a strong victory over Naomi Osaka. The match ended 6-1, 6-4 in favor of Rybakina at Flushing Meadows, New York on Monday. This win keeps her on track for a third Grand Slam title.

Rybakina, ranked second and a two-time major champion (Wimbledon 2022 and Australian Open this year), will now face Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng in the quarter-finals. A victory here could also make Rybakina the world number one for the first time.

When asked about her potential rise to the top of the rankings, Rybakina said she would focus on her next match against Zheng. She acknowledged wanting the title but emphasized staying focused on the upcoming challenge.

Rybakina dominated the opening set, finishing it in just 22 minutes. She took two of her three break-point chances and closed it out with a strong serve. She admitted she didn’t expect the match to go so smoothly but praised her performance against Osaka, a tough opponent known for her aggressive play.

Osaka, who had been dealing with an Achilles injury, showed resistance early in the second set but struggled later on. Rybakina controlled the rallies and broke Osaka’s serve in the seventh game. She then served out the match in 66 minutes.

Rybakina hit 29 winners and seven aces during the match, while Osaka managed only nine winners. This win marks Rybakina’s first US Open quarter-final appearance, completing her collection of reaching the last eight at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Her next opponent, Zheng, reached the quarter-finals by defeating Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3. Zheng has shown impressive resilience in recent matches, including a remarkable comeback from 5-0 down in the deciding set against Madison Keys and another against Swiatek.

This will be Zheng’s third US Open quarter-final appearance after qualifying for the main draw.