Osaka bows out, Rybakina closes in on No. 1

NEW YORK (AP):

Elena Rybakina overpowered Naomi Osaka at the US Open yesterday and moved within one victory of becoming the top-ranked player in women’s tennis.

Standing in her way is Zheng Qinwen, who has shown remarkable resilience throughout the tournament. Even when Zheng falls far behind, she refuses to stay there.

Rybakina advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Osaka in a clash of power-hitting Grand Slam champions. The No. 2 seed is guaranteed to replace Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the WTA rankings if she reaches the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

“Of course I want it, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t wish this, but definitely that’s one of my goals,” Rybakina said. “I try to approach the same way, try to do everything I can, fight until the end my next match and let’s see what’s going to happen.”

Trying to stop her will be Zheng, who pulled off a daring escape from a 5-0 deficit for the second consecutive match. The 2024 Olympic gold medallist from China defeated eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 to become the first qualifier to reach the final eight at Flushing Meadows since Emma Raducanu won the title in 2021.

Two days after trailing 5-0 in the third set before reeling off the final seven games to stun No. 22 Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, Zheng again found herself in an early hole against Swiatek, quickly losing the first five games.

“I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say,” Zheng said.

Rybakina captured the Australian Open title this year for her second major championship, and her current No. 2 ranking is a career high. Even if she loses on Wednesday, she could still rise to No. 1 if neither Sabalenka, Coco Gauff nor Jessica Pegula wins the title.

Rybakina proved too strong for Osaka, who won two of her four Grand Slam titles at the US Open. The match lasted just one hour and six minutes, ending with an ace from Rybakina, who leads the WTA Tour in that category.

Swiatek was unable to convert two set points while serving at 5-1, and Zheng saved another when Swiatek served with a 5-3 advantage. Zheng said she was so focussed on each point that she even forgot the score.

Zheng reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024, the year she also advanced to the Australian Open final. But after her ranking dropped following elbow surgery, she was forced to come through qualifying this year to reach the main draw. Raducanu’s title run in 2021 made her the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open era, which began in 1968.

Swiatek entered the match with a 7-1 record against Zheng, her only defeat coming in the Olympic semi-finals in Paris two years ago. Zheng rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the second set that day to end Swiatek’s 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros, where the Pole has won four French Open titles.