Elena Rybakina Claims World Number One After U.S. Open Triumph

Elena Rybakina won against Zheng Qinwen to advance to the U.S. Open semi-finals and secure the world number one ranking. Despite a challenging start, she hit 20 winners to break down Zheng’s resistance. Zheng, an Olympic champion, exited to applause after a comeback in New York.

Elena Rybakina, the second seed in the U.S. Open, emerged victorious over Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win on Wednesday, securing a place in the semi-finals. This victory also elevates Rybakina to the top of the world rankings for the first time in her career.

Zheng, who overcame a chronic elbow injury to qualify, ended her impressive run in New York amid applause from the crowd. Rybakina, reflecting on her achievement, stated, “World number one is an amazing achievement...I just need to focus on my game.”

The match saw Zheng saving five break points in a tense first set, but she was unable to maintain her form against the powerful play of Rybakina. Despite the loss, Zheng expressed optimism about taking positive experiences from the tournament.