Elena Rybakina Reaches World No. 1 After US Open Comeback, Sets Up Gauff Semi-Final

Elena Rybakina has reached the top of women’s tennis for the first time, completing a remarkable US Open comeback against Zheng Qinwen to secure the World No. 1 ranking.

Rybakina recovered from a difficult opening set to defeat Zheng 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows. The victory sent her into the semi-finals and ended Aryna Sabalenka’s 99-week run at the top of the WTA rankings.

The match did not begin comfortably for Rybakina. Zheng, the Olympic champion, played with confidence and took the first set as Rybakina struggled to find her usual rhythm. But the second seed responded with greater control, stronger returning, and the calmness that has defined her best performances this season.

After dominating the second set, Rybakina held her nerve in the deciding set to close out one of the biggest wins of her career.

The achievement carries even more meaning because Rybakina arrived in New York after managing an Achilles injury. Instead of allowing that setback to slow her season, she has produced the kind of tennis needed to reach the summit of the sport.

Her rise to No. 1 follows an exceptional year that has included a WTA Finals title, an Australian Open championship, and victories at major tour events. Now, the US Open presents an opportunity to add another Grand Slam trophy to her growing career.

Waiting for her in the semi-finals is American star Coco Gauff. Gauff also showed immense resilience in her quarter-final, saving two match points to defeat Mirra Andreeva in three sets.

The Rybakina–Gauff match will bring together the new World No. 1 and the 2023 US Open champion. It is one of two huge women’s semi-finals, with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka set to face Jessica Pegula in the other.

For the first time since Wimbledon in 2009, all four top seeds have reached a Grand Slam women’s semi-final. That gives the US Open a rare final-four lineup: four elite players, two high-stakes matchups, and a chance for a new chapter in women’s tennis.