Rybrikina reaches the Flushing Meadows semifinals and secures the top spot in the world tennis rankings

Kazakhstani Elena Rybakina, ranked second in the world, secured a first-ever ascent to the top of the rankings by reaching the US Open semifinals, the final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis calendar. She advanced after defeating qualifier Zheng Qinwen in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, setting up a clash with American Coco Gauff, who had beaten Russia’s Mira Andreeva 2-6, 7-6 (7-9), 6-2.

In the first match, the Kazakh star turned a first-set loss, 3-6, into a victory in the next two sets, 6-1 and 6-4, in a match lasting two hours and 14 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Her win will displace Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka from the top spot in next week’s rankings.

Thanks to this victory, Rybakina will take the number one ranking from Sabalenka, currently the world’s top player. She will also prevent Americans Jessica Pegula and Gauff from reaching the summit, as both could have claimed the top spot had Rybakina exited early in New York and they had won their titles.

After her win, the player said, “It’s just a number for now. It’s an amazing achievement, but you know how quickly rankings can change in the world of tennis.”

Prior to this match, the two-time Grand Slam champion had reached her career-high ranking of world number two at the age of 27.

Born in Moscow but holding Kazakhstani citizenship, Rybakina remains in contention for her second Grand Slam title in 2026, following her victory at the Australian Open where she defeated Sabalenka in the final.

After advancing through the first four rounds without dropping a set, the player, who leads the women’s tour in aces this season, found herself in a difficult position against Zheng.

Zheng initially relied on a powerful and varied serve, combining power with variation. At times, she aimed directly at the center of the service box, while at other moments, she used sharp slice serves to move her opponent out of position.

As rallies began, Zheng’s excellent court coverage allowed her to handle Rybakina’s shots early and control the power of her opponent.

However, after a brief discussion with her coaches, Rybakina regained the initiative.

It was enough for Zheng’s level to dip slightly at the same time for the WTA Finals champion to impose her strict style.

Her deep shots forced the player from Xian, central China, to retreat far behind the baseline, requiring her to constantly run to stay in the rallies.

After securing the second set, Rybakina continued to apply pressure despite Zheng’s alertness. In fact, the Kazakh player’s level gradually improved as the match progressed, drawing applause from the crowd who cheered her numerous line-hugging rocket shots.

Under pressure, the Chinese player committed a significant number of errors, both unforced and resulting from her opponent’s pressure. A double fault cost her a service game, which Rybakina immediately capitalized on to seal the match.

In the semifinals, Rybakina will face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between fourth-ranked Gauff, a two-time major champion, and 19-year-old Russian Mira Andreeva, who is ranked fifth in the world and holds the French Open title.

Rebeka had previously lost all six of her matches at the US Open when she lost the first set, but this time she managed to turn the tide and is now aiming for her third Grand Slam title, following her victories at Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year.

“It’s hard to find the words. It was a tough match... I didn’t start well, and I was too negative,” she said.

Rebeka, who had played all her previous matches at the tournament at night, added: “It was an early match. I was complaining in my head about the shadows. I’m glad I got rid of all those negative thoughts. I just kept repeating: keep fighting.”

In the second match, Andreeva, the Roland Garros champion, squandered two match points during the second-set tiebreak.

Andreeva dominated the first set, but Gauff broke her opponent’s serve to take a 4-2 lead in the second set, before the players traded games. The deciding moment came in the tiebreak, where Andreeva blew a two-point advantage, allowing the American to level the match.

In the decisive third set, Gauff once again broke her opponent’s serve, then did it again to build a 5-2 lead, on her way to eliminating Andreeva.

Sabalenka and Pegula are scheduled to meet in the other semifinal on Thursday.