New York (AFP) – Second-seeded Elena Rybakina advanced to the third round of the US Open Thursday, seeing off Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-4. The Kazakh dominated most of the match with heavy, deep ground strokes and big serves that the Spanish baseliner struggled to handle. Rybakina moved well and did not show effects of a left heel injury that has clouded her prospects in the week before the tournament.
Rybakina was broken while serving for the match at 5-3 when the Spaniard lifted her level. But Rybakina immediately broke back, returning Bouzas Maneiro’s serve forcefully to finish the match in just over an hour. “I’m super glad, super happy to be here,” Rybakina said afterwards, adding that she was “very proud” of strong play through two rounds despite imperfect preparation.
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The 2026 Australian Open champion, Rybakina had been playing well in the US Open warmup tournaments, reaching the final in Toronto and winning matches the following week in Cincinnati. But she was forced to retire from the latter event in the quarter-finals due to an injury that made her a question mark heading into the tournament.
Now the 2022 Wimbledon champion needs just three more wins to reach the semi-finals and be assured of overtaking Aryna Sabalenka atop the world rankings. Her best showing at the US Open was in 2025 when she fell in the fourth round to Marketa Vondrousova.
She’ll be out for revenge in her next match against Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva, who beat Maria Sakkari 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2. Starodubtseva stunned Rybakina in the second round at Roland Garros this year.
© 2024 AFP
