Elena Rybakina Defeats Osaka to Reach US Open Quarterfinals
Elena Rybakina walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday with two targets in sight: the US Open quarterfinals and the world No. 1 ranking. Sixty-six ruthless minutes later, both were suddenly within touching distance.
The Kazakh star dismantled Naomi Osaka 6–1, 6–4 in New York, a statement win that underlined why she is now one of the most feared hard-court players in the game.
A blistering start
The second seed did not ease her way into the contest. She tore through the opening set in just 22 minutes, ripping through Osaka’s serve and rhythm before the Japanese player had time to settle.
Rybakina converted two of three break points in that first set, and the pattern was brutal in its simplicity: heavy first serves, flat, penetrating groundstrokes, and very little charity. She closed the set with a booming serve that left Osaka rooted.
Osaka, seeded 13th, arrived in New York with momentum and confidence, but Rybakina met her power with more of her own and added a cleaner, sharper edge.
Osaka fights back, but the body rebels
The second set finally brought resistance. Osaka began to land more first serves, stepped inside the baseline, and started to trade on her terms. For a few games, the match looked like the heavyweight baseline battle many had anticipated.
At 2–2, though, the tension shifted. Osaka reached for her left leg, clearly bothered by an Achilles tendon problem that had already troubled her in the third round. She still saved a break point in that game, refusing to fold, and briefly held Rybakina at bay.
The reprieve did not last.
At 3–3, Rybakina tightened her grip again. Her depth forced Osaka into longer rallies, and the Japanese star’s movement grew more labored. The pressure finally told in the seventh game: Osaka pushed a forehand wide, handing over the decisive break.
From there, Rybakina did not blink. She protected her serve, controlled the tempo, and closed out the match with the same authority she had shown from the opening game.
One win from No. 1
The victory does more than send Rybakina into the last eight at Flushing Meadows. It leaves her just one win away from becoming world No. 1 for the first time in her career.
It would be a landmark moment, but it also feels like a natural progression. Rybakina already owns two major titles – Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2026 – and her game has grown more complete with each season: the serve still devastating, the baseline game more disciplined, the big-stage composure almost routine.
Olympic champion awaits
Standing between her and both a US Open semifinal and the top ranking is Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen.
Zheng’s rise has been one of the stories of the last two seasons, and her aggressive, fearless style promises a very different test from Osaka’s power game. Rybakina will need to match that intensity from the first ball again.
On this evidence, few would bet against her. One more win, and the player who has so often looked like a No. 1 in waiting will finally see the ranking reflect the reality on court.
