Rybakina thumps Osaka to reach U.S. Open quarters, close in on top ranking
Elena Rybakina defeated Naomi Osaka in straight sets to advance to the U.S. Open quarter-finals. The victory keeps Rybakina in contention for the world number one ranking as she prepares to face Zheng Qinwen.
Why it matters
This match marks a significant milestone in Rybakina's career as she pursues her third Grand Slam title and the top global ranking.
Elena Rybakina cleared another big hurdle in her bid to win a third Grand Slam title by outclassing former U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka 6-1 6-4 on Monday (September 7, 2026) to reach the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.
The flawless victory for Rybakina, who won Wimbledon in 2022 and this year's Australian Open, booked a last-eight clash with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and left the Kazakh one match win away from becoming world number one for the first time.
Second seed Rybakina raced through the opening set in 22 minutes, converting two of her three break-point opportunities before sealing it with a booming serve to leave two-times New York champion Osaka on the ropes at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in