New York (AFP) – Elena Rybakina ensured she will become world number one for the first time in her career by defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach the US Open semi-finals on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Kazakh star rallied to defeat China’s Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 after two hours and 14 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium, ensuring she will replace Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus atop next week’s rankings.
“It’s just a number right now,” Rybakina said after the match. “Of course I’m in the semis. It’s an amazing achievement. I want to win the title still, so all my thoughts are just for the next match.” Rybakina advanced to a Thursday semi-final against fourth-ranked American Coco Gauff, a two-time major winner who saved two match points in a 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 victory over Russian 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the fifth-ranked reigning French Open champion from Russia.
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“Elena is the new world number one,” Gauff said. “It’s going to be a tough match. These are the moments you live for.” Current world number one Sabalenka and third-ranked American Jessica Pegula will meet in the other semi-final. Rybakina has a 1-1 career record against Gauff, winning a semi-final last month in Canada after Gauff won their only other meeting in Canada in 2022.
Gauff struggled early, withstood two match points in the tie-break, then rallied with some inspiration from Frances Tiafoe rallying from two sets down to beat fellow American Alex Michelsen in a dramatic five-setter on Tuesday. “I just had to reset. I came out not feeling the ball, giving her too many free points,” Gauff said. “Honestly, I was thinking about Frances Tiafoe and how he came back. I was just trying to leave the court without regrets.”
In becoming the first Kazakh player to reach number one, Rybakina becomes the 30th woman to reach the top spot. “It’s something for which you’re going to be very proud when you finish at the end of the year,” Rybakina said. “No matter how long you’re going to stay, it’s an achievement and I feel very proud.” Rybakina, who had been 0-6 in prior US Open matches after dropping the first set, seeks her third Grand Slam title after winning at Wimbledon in 2022 and at this year’s Australian Open.
“It’s tough to find words. It was a difficult match… I didn’t start that well, I was too much negative,” said Rybakina, who had played all of her prior matches at night. “It has been an early match. In my head, I was complaining about the shadow … I’m glad I pushed all the negative thoughts away. I just kept telling myself: ‘Keep fighting’.” Rybakina, the second seed, was among four women with a chance to leave Flushing Meadows as world number one, but her victory ended the top spot hopes for Sabalenka, Gauff, and Pegula.
Reigning Olympic champion Zheng, 23, missed out on her first US Open semi-final. She lost at the 2024 Australian Open in her only Grand Slam final appearance. “Maybe when she serve second serve, I could be more aggressive sometimes and make a bit less mistake in the return,” Zheng said. “Today is just few points make the difference.” Rybakina, who has shown no sign of the foot injury that hindered her US Open preparations, improved to 5-1 all-time over Zheng with her third triumph over her this year.
Zheng, ranked 121 after missing about eight months due to elbow surgery, went through qualifying and won seven matches in New York, ensuring her a top-60 ranking next week. “I got a lot of chances in the third set, but I didn’t take it,” Zheng said. “That was a bit pity for me to lose this match, but obviously I could take positive things from US Open this year.”
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