Elena Rybakina booked her place at the top of women’s tennis on Wednesday, grinding past Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the US Open semi-finals and lock in the world No. 1 ranking regardless of what happens next.
The result guarantees Rybakina ends Aryna Sabalenka’s reign atop the standings even if the Belarusian claims a third straight US Open title this week. Sabalenka now faces third-seeded Jessica Pegula in Thursday night’s semi-final, with the top four women’s seeds all reaching the final four for the first time at the US Open since 1975.
Rybakina downplayed the ranking milestone, keeping her focus on the trophy instead.
“It’s just a number right now,” she said. “It’s a different achievement … but mostly you think about the titles at the end of the day.”
She’ll need to back that mindset against Coco Gauff, who survived a scare against fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva, saving two match points before escaping 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2. Gauff credited Frances Tiafoe’s comeback win over Alex Michelsen for shifting her mentality mid-match.
“I just had to reset,” Gauff said. “I was thinking about Frances Tiafoe and how he came back. I was just trying to leave the court without regrets.”
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Rybakina, already a two-time Grand Slam champion after triumphs at Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in January, chases a third major title and the first as the sport’s top-ranked player.
“I feel like you will appreciate and think about it even more when you finish your career,” she said. “Like now, you still need to keep on going.”
Zheng made her push count before fading. Ranked 121 after missing roughly eight months following elbow surgery, the Olympic champion fought through qualifying and won seven matches in New York, upsetting six-time major winner Iga Swiatek and former Australian Open champion Madison Keys along the way.
She rattled Rybakina early with heavy serving and variety, only for the Kazakh to seize control after a mid-match dip, missing a break chance in the third set that proved decisive.
“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.”
Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev powered into the men’s semi-finals, dismantling Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 after a slow start to his tournament that included two five-set marathons. He’ll meet Karen Khachanov, who advanced when Alexander Blockx retired mid-match while trailing 6-2, 7-5, 3-2.
Blockx, already nursing a rib injury from his previous round, battled through a wrapped thigh and multiple medical timeouts before conceding.
“I think today my body just gave up,” Blockx said. “I think I finally understand how physical the slams are.”
