No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina reached the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time and also secured the No. 1 world ranking by rallying for a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over China’s Qinwen Zheng on Wednesday in New York.
Rybakina will next face 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, who overcame a frigid start to post a 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 victory over No. 5 Mirra Andreeva of Russia.
No. 4 seed Gauff overcame 12 double faults and 42 unforced errors to win her quarterfinal in two hours and 19 minutes, but she committed just two of those errors in a dominant final set.
Andreeva also committed 42 unforced errors and failed to convert two match points during a second-set tiebreaker while falling to 0-6 against Gauff all-time.
“I just had to reset,” Gauff said of improving her play. “I came out not feeling the ball, giving her too many free points, and you know, Mirra was playing a great level.”
Gauff’s win puts two Americans in the final four. No. 3 Jessica Pegula faces top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday in the other semifinal.
Rybakina won 80% (32 of 40) of her first-serve points in a solid effort against Zheng, who saved 10 of 13 break points to keep pressure on Rybakina at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Rybakina, 27, will replace Sabalenka of Belarus as the top-ranked player in the world when the rankings are released on Monday.
“It’s just a number right now and, of course, I’m in the semis, so my goal is to win the tournaments which I play,” Rybakina said.
The Moscow-born Rybakina represents Kazakhstan and she is a semifinalist in the U.S. Open for the first time. The two-time Grand Slam champion had previously never advanced past the fourth round.
She struggled in the first set and found herself down in the match when qualifier Zheng, 23, won the final three games.
But Rybakina dominated the second set, winning the first three games. After Zheng won the fourth game, Rybakina won three more in a row to level the match.
Zheng led 4-3 in the third set before Rybakina swept the final three games. The key game was the ninth when Rybakina broke Zheng’s service to take the lead and eventually seal the match.
“It’s been a very difficult match,” said Rybakina, who had a 20-18 edge in winners. “Honestly, a lot of nerves, of course. Maybe it wasn’t the highest level but I’m glad that I pushed through. It’s an early match and in my head I was complaining a little bit about the sun, the shadow, a lot of little things. It was definitely a battle inside me but I’m glad that I pushed all the negative thoughts away and I kept on fighting.”
Being No. 1 in the world was just sinking in to Rybakina. Sabalenka had been atop the rankings for the previous 99 weeks.
“I go just (one) match at a time and it’s an amazing achievement,” Rybakina said of being No. 1. “But you know how quick everything can change in tennis, ranking-wise, during the match. So I feel I just need to focus on my game, try to recover and enjoy tomorrow.”
Gauff is 1-1 against Rybakina with the loss coming in last month’s semifinals in Toronto. Rybakina won 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
“Elena, she’s a new World No. 1, so, it’s going to be a tough match,” said Gauff, 22. “Last time we played, it was a tough three-setter for me, and I’m looking forward to the battle. These are the moments you live for, and I’m excited.”
Gauff came out slow and Andreeva was smoking hot at the outset. Andreeva won the first four games and sailed through the opening set in 27 minutes.
Gauff picked up the pace in the second set and led 5-3 before Andreeva won two games to knot the match. The set eventually went to a tiebreaker and Gauff staved off two match points while winning the last three points to even up the match.
Andreeva won the first game of the third set but her spirit appeared broken as Gauff dominated the set to close it out.
The 19-year-old Andreeva held a 25-22 edge in winners for the match.
–Field Level Media
