Elena Rybakina US Open 2026 Win Makes Her World No. 1

Elena Rybakina has become the new world No. 1 in women’s tennis after defeating qualifier Qinwen Zheng in the US Open quarterfinals. The second-seeded player showed great determination as she came from behind to win the match 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rybakina struggled in the opening set as Zheng played aggressively and took an early advantage. The qualifier won the first set 6-3 and appeared to be in control of the match. However, Rybakina quickly changed the momentum in the second set.

The Kazakh player responded strongly and won the second set 6-1. She played with greater consistency, found more power in her shots and put Zheng under constant pressure.

The deciding third set was much closer. Both players fought hard for every point, but Rybakina remained calm during the important moments. She eventually won the set 6-4 to complete an impressive comeback.

The victory not only sent Rybakina into the US Open semifinals but also guaranteed her the top position in the world rankings. She will become world No. 1 regardless of whether Aryna Sabalenka goes on to win the tournament.

Reaching the top of the rankings is a major achievement for Rybakina. Before the quarterfinal, she had openly spoken about her ambition to become the world’s best-ranked player.

Rybakina had said that reaching No. 1 was one of her main goals. She explained that she tries to approach every match in the same way by giving her best effort and continuing to fight until the final point.

Her performance against Zheng reflected exactly that attitude. Even after losing the first set, Rybakina did not panic. Instead, she remained focused and produced a much stronger performance in the next two sets.

The result also highlights Rybakina’s consistency at the highest level of women’s tennis. Her powerful serve, strong groundstrokes and ability to stay composed under pressure have helped her compete successfully against some of the world’s best players.

For Zheng, the defeat ended an impressive run at the tournament. As a qualifier, reaching the quarterfinals was already a significant achievement. She managed to challenge one of the top players in the world and win the opening set before Rybakina fought back.

Rybakina will now turn her attention to the US Open semifinals as she continues her pursuit of the title. With the world No. 1 ranking already secured, she can now focus completely on making a deep run in New York.

Her comeback victory against Zheng will be remembered as an important moment in her career. It showed her ability to handle pressure, recover from setbacks and fight until the end to achieve one of the biggest goals in tennis.