Elena Rybakina ensured she will leave Flushing Meadows as the new world number one after a comprehensive win over Qinwen Zheng, despite top seed Aryna Sabalenka still being alive in her quest for a third straight US Open title.
Rybakina reached the semifinals for the first time and will face 2023 champion Coco Gauff, who beat fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6(9/7), 6-2.
The early program kicked off barely eight hours after Ben Shelton beat Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller that finished at 3:33 am, breaking the record for the latest ever finish at the US Open.
Zheng had cultivated a reputation as one of the tournament’s finest comeback artists but ran out of gas against Rybakina, losing 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 as the Kazakh chipped away at her defences after overcoming early mistakes.
“It’s tough to find words,” said Rybakina, who dethroned Sabalenka at the top of the rankings.
“It wasn’t maybe the highest level, but I’m glad I pushed through.”
Meanwhile, Gauff fought off a match point in the second-set tiebreak to move into the last four of her home slam for just the second time.
Sabalenka and American third seed Jessica Pegula are in the other semifinal.
Pegula is the only woman left without a grand slam title to her name, while Sabalenka is trying to win the US Open to avoid going major-less for the first time since 2022.
If Rybakina and Sabalenka progress, it will mark their second meeting in a major final this year, after Rybakina won the Australian Open title in January.
Reuters/ABC
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