World No.2 Elena Rybakina corrected the Japanese Naomi Osaka on Monday and is only one success away from capturing the world throne for the first time in her career, but to do so she will have to beat the Chinese Zheng Qinwen in the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The 27-year-old Kazakhstani only needed one hour and six minutes to dismiss Osaka, titled in New York in 2018 and 2020, in two sets 6-1, 6-4, without ever really being worried, saving the only break point she conceded.
Winner of the Australian Open in January, she reached the quarter-finals for the first time in New York and needs another victory to dethrone Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the WTA rankings, even if the Belarusian wins a third consecutive title in New York.
“Of course I want it, it’s one of the objectives (…). I will fight in the next match and if I serve as well as today, I will have every chance,” she assured.
For a place in the last four, Rybakina will find on her way the Chinese Zheng Qinwen, whose journey is astonishing at the US Open: the former world No.4, now ranked 121st, fell in the WTA rankings after a persistent elbow injury and had to go through qualifying in New York this year.
Invisible at the start of the match by losing the first five games, the 23-year-old Chinese made an improbable comeback by finally winning 7-5, 6-3 against the Polish Iga Swiatek, 8th in the world.
“At one point I even lost track of the score, because I was so focused on playing every point. I think that’s the key for me to come back. I didn’t expect it today but somehow it happened again,” Zheng smiled at the press conference.
Because the Olympic champion at the Paris Games was already miraculous in the previous round against the American Madison Keys, whom she eliminated by saving a match point after being led 5-0 in the third set.
She will play her third quarter-final in New York on Wednesday, after 2023 and 2024. The Chinese’s best Grand Slam result is a final of the Australian Open, lost in 2024 against current world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Coco Gauff very leggy
The very tough program of the women’s draw on Monday ended with a 100% American duel on the Central won by Coco Gauff (4th), 22 years old, 6-1, 6-4 against Iva Jovic (14th).
Winner in 2023, Gauff was everywhere, like this 24-shot rally where she struggles to deliver a drop shot before finishing with a forehand into the opposing half left free.
“I had a lot more break points than her and I was able to make the difference by converting these opportunities,” analyzed the woman who converted 5 of these 11 tries after her victory.
She will face in the quarter-finals the Roland-Garros champion Mirra Andreeva (5th in the world), who reached this stage of the New York tournament for the first time at 19 thanks to her 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory against Anastasia Potapova (25th).
