Rybakina Beats Zheng to Claim US Open Semifinal and World

Elena Rybakina defeated Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the US Open quarterfinals on Tuesday. With the victory, the second seed clinched a spot in the semifinals and will become the new world No. 1 in the WTA rankings.

According to The Guardian's live report, Rybakina claimed the decisive break in the final game of the match. She secured two match points after Zheng hit a shot into the net and sealed the win when the Chinese player netted another ball. The match lasted two hours and 17 minutes.

A Dramatic Deciding Set

The third set was tightly contested. Rybakina held a 5-4 lead with Zheng serving to stay in the match. Zheng saved three break points in that game with aggressive play, including a forehand winner down the line. However, a wild shot out of court and a double fault on her second serve ultimately gave Rybakina the break and the match.

Earlier in the set, both players had opportunities. Zheng earned a break point with a backhand winner but missed a similar shot by inches. Rybakina then held serve to level the set at 4-4. The pressure on Zheng's serve was constant, with Rybakina averaging just two minutes per service game in the third set.

Rybakina's Response After Dropping First Set

Zheng started strongly, taking the first set 6-3. The key moment came when she broke Rybakina's serve at 4-3. Rybakina, who had been nearly flawless on serve in the tournament, faced five break points in a marathon 14-minute game before finally succumbing.

The loss of the set prompted a visible reaction from the typically stoic Rybakina. The report noted she had a heated discussion with her coach during the changeover. She responded emphatically, racing to a 5-0 lead in the second set and winning it 6-1 to force a decider.

Context and Stakes

The match carried significant ranking implications. Rybakina needed a win to guarantee ascending to world No. 1. A loss would have created a complex scenario where she would have needed Zheng to win the tournament to prevent Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, or Coco Gauff from taking the top spot.

Zheng, a former world No. 4, was playing as a qualifier ranked 121st due to injury. She had already beaten Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek in previous rounds. The report stated her performance proved she is "back in the mix" after elbow surgery last year.

Rybakina now holds a 3-0 career record against Zheng, with all matches going to three sets. Their previous meetings this year were on clay in Madrid and hard courts in Doha. The remaining women's draw features the world's top five ranked players: Sabalenka, Rybakina, Pegula, Gauff, and Mirra Andreeva.