Rybakina Seizes World No. 1 With 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 U.S. Open Quarterfinal Win
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 12
Rybakina Seizes World No. 1 With 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 U.S. Open Quarterfinal Win
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 12
Summary
Elena Rybakina became world No. 1 for the first time after rallying past Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the U.S. Open quarterfinals, ending Aryna Sabalenka’s 99-week run atop the rankings.
Saturday’s final now carries a second prize: Rybakina will face Sabalenka on Arthur Ashe Stadium with a chance to add the title to the ranking she claimed mid-tournament.
The 27-year-old, born in Moscow and representing Kazakhstan, is the country’s first tennis No. 1 and has built the rise with the Australian Open title, Stuttgart crown and 48 tour wins this season.
Her ascent comes after a turbulent stretch around coach Stefano Vukov, whom the WTA banned for a year in 2025 before an appeal lifted the sanction in August 2025; he has been courtside in New York.
The ranking change caps a volatile women’s season in which Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Świątek all hit uneven patches, while new major champions Mirra Andreeva and Linda Nosková reshaped the field.