Elena Rybakina Becomes World No.1, Defeats Qinwen Zheng to Book US Open Semifinal Spot

Elena Rybakina produced a stunning comeback against Qinwen Zheng to reach the US Open semi-finals and secure the World No.1 ranking.

The Kazakh star recovered from a set down to defeat Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a gripping quarter-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Rybakina will officially take over the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday, September 14. The achievement caps a remarkable rise for the 26-year-old, who has now reached the last four at Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career.

Zheng entered the contest full of confidence after eliminating Iga Swiatek in the previous round. Her powerful serve and aggressive hitting caused Rybakina plenty of problems in the opening set, while the Kazakh also had to deal with the challenging conditions created by the sun and shadows at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The first set remained close through the opening games before Zheng finally made the breakthrough at 4-3. Rybakina had opportunities to immediately recover the break, but Zheng survived a lengthy service game and moved 5-3 ahead before closing out the set 6-3.

Rybakina responded emphatically in the second set. She became more effective behind her serve and took advantage of Zheng’s struggles with her first delivery. Two breaks of serve helped Rybakina race to a 6-1 set win and send the match into a decider.

The third set was finely balanced, with neither player able to create an early opening. The first eight games went with serve before Rybakina finally found the decisive breakthrough.

With the score tied at 4-4, Rybakina won 11 of the next 15 points to put Zheng under pressure and earn the crucial break. She then held her nerve while serving for the match, completing the comeback and booking her place in the semi-finals.

“It’s just a number right now,” Rybakina said after the match. “Of course, I’m in the semis. My goal is to win the tournaments I played.

“It’s an amazing achievement but we know how quickly everything can change in tennis, ranking wise, during the match. So I feel like I just need to focus on my game and try to recover and enjoy tomorrow.”

Rybakina reaches maiden US Open semi-final

The victory marks Rybakina’s best-ever performance at the US Open. Her previous best showing at Flushing Meadows came last year, when she reached the fourth round. New York has traditionally been her least successful Grand Slam venue. Before this year’s tournament, Rybakina had won only 57 per cent of her matches at the US Open.

However, her latest victory has put her within touching distance of another major title. Rybakina already has Grand Slam triumphs at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Winning the US Open would give her three of the four major titles, with only the French Open missing from her collection.

The new World No.1 will next face either Coco Gauff or Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals.

For Rybakina, the comeback against Zheng was another demonstration of her ability to remain composed under pressure. After struggling through the opening set, she changed the momentum in the second and produced her best tennis when it mattered most in the decider.

With her first US Open semi-final secured and the No.1 ranking set to become official, Rybakina is now just two wins away from completing a memorable run in New York.