Elena Rybakina advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory over two-time champion Naomi Osaka at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday. The Kazakh player, who claimed Wimbledon in 2022 and this year’s Australian Open, now faces Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen for a spot in the semifinals.
Rybakina’s win marked her first appearance in the U.S. Open quarterfinals and brought her one match away from securing the world No. 1 ranking. Following the match, she acknowledged the significance of this milestone. "I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t wish for it. It’s definitely one of my goals," she said. Rybakina expressed confidence heading into her next encounter, highlighting the importance of maintaining her strong serve which proved decisive against Osaka.
The second seed dominated the opening set, converting two of three break points within 22 minutes, and closed it with a powerful serve that kept Osaka on the defensive. Although Osaka pushed back early in the second set, her efforts were hindered by a lingering Achilles issue. At 2-2, she visibly struggled but managed to stave off a break point before Rybakina secured the critical break in the seventh game and wrapped up the match in 66 minutes.
Osaka, seeded 13th, was visibly frustrated by the outcome. Despite walking onto the court in a distinctive fur-collared coat adorned with city murals and images, she was unable to match Rybakina’s consistency and aggression. The 28-year-old Japanese player had shown resilience but was ultimately outplayed.
Rybakina now faces Zheng Qinwen, who has been gaining momentum since qualifying for the tournament. Zheng reached the quarterfinals by staging remarkable comebacks, including a notable defeat of six-time major winner Iga Swiatek, rallying from 0-5 down in the opening set to win 7-5, 6-3 on Monday.
After the win over Swiatek, Zheng reflected on her slow start and her need to find rhythm during matches. The Chinese player acknowledged ongoing challenges stemming from a chronic right elbow injury and subsequent surgery last year but expressed satisfaction with her recent performances and ability to remain focused point by point.
Rybakina, aware of the challenge ahead, remarked on Zheng’s confidence and resilience, noting their previous encounters and the difficulty of facing an opponent in strong form after multiple consecutive wins.
The quarterfinal matchup between Rybakina and Zheng promises to be a competitive contest, with the winner advancing closer to a Grand Slam title and a significant boost in world rankings.