Elena Rybakina converted on a late break of Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen to move to a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 quarter-final win at the US open on Wednesday which sends the quiet Kazakh to the world No. 1 position.
The second seed will replace Aryna Sabalenka when the WTA list is updated on Monday, a day after the conclusion of the season’s final Grand Slam.
Zheng, a former world no. 4 who is coming back from elbow surgery, erased 0-5 deficits in her past two matches in defeats of Grand Slam winners Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
The No. 121 had played more that 14 hours on court, with the quarter-final her eighth match after winning through qualifying rounds last month.
“It’s just a number right now. Of course I’m in the semis, so my goal is to win the tournaments I play. I go a match at a time. It’s an amazing achievement,” the 27-year-old winner said.
Olympic gold medalist and 2025 Australian Open runner-up Zheng handed Rybakina her first lost set of the tournament in the opening chapter,
The Asian won a 14-minutes concluding game, saving five break points and claiming the set on her fourth opportunity.
But Rybakina struck back and swept the second 6-1 to send it all into a deciding set. Her break of Zheng in the ninth game for 5-4 set the stage as she served out the win a game later on her opponent’s forehand error after two and a quarter hours.
Rybakina managed 20 winners but was only able to convert on three of her 13 break chances.
The Kazakh becomes the 30th woman to hold the top ranking and will be playing in her first New York semi-final after winning her 47th match of the season.
Her Open had been in doubt after withdrawing from a Cincinnati quarter-final with an ankle injury against Swiatek and not hitting a ball for days as it healed.
“It was a very difficult match, very stressful. Didn’t start my best and found a way in the end. Super happy,” Rybakina said.
“A lot of thoughts were going through the head in the beginning, but I’m glad that I managed to find a way.
She added that her No. 1 position is not yet feeling like a reality.
“I don’t think about it so much. It’s a great achievement, and I feel like you will appreciate and think about it even more when you finish your career.
“You still need to keep on going, You never know how long you’re going to stay.
“I want to win the titles still so all my thoughts are just for the next match.”
Zheng tried to put her loss aside and concentrate on the positives of her fightback to form after injury.
“Today I had lot of chance in the third set, but I didn’t take it.
“That was a bit pity for me to lost this match, but obviously I could take positive things from US Open this year.
“In the beginning of the year, I was totally out of tournament rhythm, and this tournament helps me to find myself little by little.
“There were some decisions in important moment I wasn’t doing right.
“It was also very physical match for me. She got a great serve, and I think I have to be really focused to return every single time.
“In general, I could take some positive things, and the rest I could go back and to do what I can do better.”
Main photo:- Elena Rybakina becomes WTA No.1 in New York – by WTATennis.com
