Elena Rybakina secured her position as the new world number one by advancing to the US Open semi-finals with a hard-fought victory over Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen on September 9 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The 27-year-old Kazakh player rallied from a set down to defeat the Chinese player 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, ensuring she will supplant Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka atop the WTA rankings next week.
Rybakina, who won the Wimbledon title in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year, emphasized that while reaching the top ranking is a significant milestone, her primary focus remains on capturing another major trophy. “It’s just a number right now,” she said after the match. “I want to win the title still, so all my thoughts are just for the next match.” She will face rising American star and two-time major winner Coco Gauff in Thursday’s semi-final. Gauff advanced after saving two match points in a tight 2-6, 7-6(9-7), 6-2 win over Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
Rybakina’s journey in New York has been marked by resilience. She overcame a heel injury that hindered her preparations and battled early distractions during her quarter-final, including adjusting to challenging court conditions and shuffling negative thoughts. Zheng, ranked 121 after undergoing elbow surgery and making a strong comeback through qualifying rounds, pushed Rybakina early with aggressive play but was ultimately unable to sustain the performance in the final two sets. Zheng acknowledged missed opportunities in the deciding set, stating, “Today is just few points makes the difference.”
This season, Rybakina has steadily climbed the ranks and now becomes the 30th woman to reach the top spot in WTA history, as well as the first player representing Kazakhstan to do so. She credited her success to consistent improvement and expressed pride in inspiring a growing tennis community back home.
Meanwhile, the other women’s semi-final will feature current world number one Aryna Sabalenka against third-seeded American Jessica Pegula. Their match completes a rare occurrence at the US Open, with the top four women all reaching the semi-final stage for the first time since 1975.
On the men’s side, top seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the semi-finals by defeating Dutch veteran Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1. Zverev, the 2020 US Open runner-up and reigning French Open champion, will face Russian Karen Khachanov, who also reached the last four following his opponent’s retirement. Zverev overcame a shaky start marked by multiple double faults but regained control to close the match in straight sets.
With the semi-finals set, the US Open enters its final stages amid compelling storylines, including Rybakina’s pursuit of a third Grand Slam title and the opportunity to solidify her historic rise to world number one.