Milestone Win Lifts Rybakina To No. 1 Ranking At US Open

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 10, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

There have been just 30 different players who have achieved a WTA World No. 1 ranking since they were implemented on November 3, 1975. They’ve included many of the greats of women’s tennis, including Americans Chrissie Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport, and Venus and Serena Williams. Also, international stars such as Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki, Garbiñe Muguruza and Ashleigh Barry. Plus, contemporary players like Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek.

 

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On Wednesday afternoon at the US Open, World No. 2 Elena Rybakina, born in Russia but representing Kazakhstan defeated 121st-ranked qualifier Zheng Qinwen of China, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, in two hours and 14 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Her victory ends the 99-week (since October 2024) No. 1 run of Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and the ascension of Rybakina to become the 30th  player to achieve the WTA World No. 1 ranking.

In a very evenly-matched quarterfinal, the 27-year-old Rybakina pushed ahead in the final set by breaking Zheng to go ahead 5-4. Then, she served out her 47th victory of the season and won on her first match-point opportunity against the 23-year-old Zheng, who rose through the qualifying draw to win seven straight matches (three in qualifying, four in the main draw) before bowing in the quarterfinal round.

Rybakina, who is through to the US Open semifinals for the first time, was very steady in capturing points on her serve. She won 80 percent (32 of 40) of her first-serve points, hit 20 winners to offset 26 unforced errors, converted three of 13 break-point opportunities and outpointed Zheng 88-79. Zheng countered with 18 winners but committed 27 unforced errors. She was only able to break Rybakina’s serve once.

“It’s tough to find words. It was a difficult a match,” Rybakina said in her on-court interview. “Honestly, a lot of nerves of course. It wasn’t maybe the highest level but I’m glad I pushed through. …

“It was definitely a battle inside me. I’m glad I pushed the negative thoughts away and I kept on fighting. Super happy to be in the semis here.”

This season, Rybakina began by winning her second major at the Australian Open. She added a title on indoor clay at Stuttgart in April and her 47 wins is second-most on the WTA Tour behind Jessica Pegula‘s 50.

Rybakina was asked during her on-court interview what has kept her so strong in important moments. She replied: “It’s true, I didn’t start that well. There was too much negativity and it wasn’t easy because all my previous matches were played at night. … This was the first time I had played in the sun. In the end … things went my way and I’m super happy.”

When she was asked what becoming World No. 1 means to her, Rybakina said: “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.”

Gauff saves two match points in comeback win

World No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States saved a pair of match points during a second-set tie-break against World No. 5 Mirra Andreeva from Russia that were a portent of good things to come for the American No. 2.

Not only did Gauff go on to win the tie-break, she dominated the third set and prevailed in the end. Gauff defeated Andreeva, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2, in two hours and 19 minutes for her 45th victory of the season – and 25th lifetime win at the US Open – to advance to Thursday’s semifinal round against new No. 1 Elena Rybakina.

The 2023 US Open champion Gauff overcame 12 double faults and 42 unforced errors to beat the 19-year-old Andreeva, who was appearing in the quarterfinals of the New York City fortnight for the first time. She hit 22 winners, won 72 percent (44 of 61) of her first-serve points, converted four of five break points and outpointed Andreeva 95-94.

During her on-court interview, the 22-year-old Gauff said she was thinking about how friend and fellow American Frances Tiafoe came back to win his quarterfinal on Tuesday – and it inspired her. She said:

“I think I just had to reset. I came out not feeling the ball, giving her too many free points. Mirra was playing a great level.

“In the restroom, honestly, I was thinking about Frances Tiafoe and how he came back yesterday. We all want to do well in front of this crowd. I was just trying to leave this court with no regrets.”

Khachanov advances, Blockx’s dream run ends in retirement

Unseeded Karen Khachanov of Russia advanced to his third major semifinal – and second one at the US Open – after No. 28 seed Alexander Blockx of Belgium retired due to injury early in the third set of their quarterfinal-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday afternoon.

The 50th-ranked Khachanov won the first two sets from No. 34 Blockx, 6-2, 7-5, and led 3-2 in the third set when the match ended after one hour and 38 minutes. 

The 21-year-old Blockx was appearing in his first major quarterfinal after stringing together a quartet of victories in the New York City fortnight, including upsets of World No. 6 Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the third round and World No. 25 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in the round of 16. However, after receiving multiple medical time outs for pains in his upper body, he was unable to soldier on.

“I was preparing really well for this matchup and it was not easy, as from one side I felt like I was dominating from the beginning and then I felt he was struggling more and more and it is a mixed feeling,” Khachanov said during his on-court interview. “He is suffering and I don’t want to scream, ‘Come on’, but I wanted to keep the energy there. I wish him a speedy recovery. I saw that he was suffering all over his body.”

On Friday, Khachanov, who has moved up to No. 26 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will try to advance to his first major final when he faces World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, the reigning Roland-Garros champion, who is into his 13th Grand Slam semifinal and third one at the US Open. The top seed from Germany eased past No. 70 Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 tin two hours and 17 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday evening. 

Zverev won 77 percent (46 of 60) of his first-serve points, hit 21 winners and converted six of nine break points. He outpointed van de Zandschulp 94-71 in collecting his 51st victory, most on the ATP Tour this season. The 29-year-old Zverev’s 23 major match wins are the most by a German man in a single season since Boris Becker’s 22 in 1989. He’s also the ninth man in the Open Era to reach the semifinals of all four majors in a single season.

Asked during his on-court interview if his mentality is any different going into a major than any other event, Zverev said: “Yes and no. I think you saw in the first two rounds, when I didn’t really play well, that I could rely on my physicality a bit more in majors than in other tournaments. In other tournaments, I would have been out in the first round. Here, I can fight back and play best-of-five for four-and-a-half hours – and, somehow, win the match and get into the tournament. Then, I start playing better throughout the tournament. Now, I happen to be in the semifinals here. Of course, I want to go further.”

 

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Michelsen left it all out on the court in Tiafoe loss

After Alex Michelsen came out on the losing end of a four-hour and 39-minute, five-set quarterfinal loss to fellow American Frances Tiafoe on Arthur Ashe Stadium Tuesday evening, he let all of his emotions out on the court for all to see. After all, he was human.

Tiafoe, 28, saw what was happening and immediately curtailed his own celebration and rushed to the net to comfort the 22-year-old Michelsen, his friend and foe. Michelsen wore his emotions onto Tiafoe’s sleeve, balling tears uncontrollably for several moments into the older American’s shoulder as they embraced near the net. It was a poignant but very public moment that television captured of Tiafoe, who consoled the younger American.

Later, Tiafoe discussed what happened during a TV interview with ESPN.

“As soon as I hugged him, I’d seen he was crying already and I was like, ‘Man, I know. I’ve been there.’ I’ve been there twice to be fair. Lost in five,” Tiafoe said. “He’s young and he hasn’t been there. And we’re super tight. We’ve always had a great relationship. We laugh and joke all the time; he’s one of my good buddies on Tour. And I know how much that hurts. I know how much he wanted it today. It’s something that you dream about.”

By the time Michelsen came to his post-match news conference, his mood had brightened as he discussed his earlier feelings.

“I wasn’t saying much. I was trying to keep it together, and I didn’t do a good job of that,” Michelsen admitted. “He was saying a lot of nice personal things. ‘You’ll be there. When [I’m] older, you’re going to be here, and we’re going it play again in this type of circumstance.’ All that good stuff. He’s a great guy for consoling me in that moment. …

“Frances, he’s such a good guy, and he said a lot of personal things and just kind of got to me,” Michelsen added. “Then, yeah, I mean, it took me a few minutes. But it’s normal after a match like that, emotions like that. It takes a little bit of time to get back down to earth, but I’m here talking to you now, so I did okay.”

 

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The 46th-ranked Michelsen came within one game – two points – of a straight-set upset over the World No. 12 Tiafoe. Until the third set, he hadn’t lost a set all tournament. 

“Nothing good. It’s a tough match, but I fought as hard as I could, and it just didn’t go my way today. Got a little tight at 5-4 in the third,” Michelsen said. “At the end of the day, made my first quarterfinal of a Slam. Lost to, like I said in my other press conference, someone that is probably a Top-5 player here in Frances. Trying to keep my head high, and yeah, on to the next one.”

Around the US Open

• In women’s doubles, No. 1 seeds Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States moved a step closer to clinching a career Grand Slam as a team by reaching the US Open final. Wednesday afternoon on Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Czech/American pair defeated No. 8 seeds Elise Mertens of Belgium and Diana Shnaider of Russia, 6-0, 7-6 (8), in one hour and 44 minutes. They struck 37 winners and converted four of 11 break points. Siniakova and Townsend outpointed the Belgian/Russian duo, 79-60. 

In the other semifinal, unseeded American wild cards Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery upset No. 2 seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Luisa Stefani of Brazil, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8), in two hours and 37 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium. 

From match point down, trailing 5-4 in the final set,  the 22-year-old Americans Krueger and Montgomery went on to recover from trailing 8-2 in the deciding set match tie-break. They won on their first match-point opportunity.

Krueger and Montgomery combined to hit 51 winners. They were outpointed by Dabrowski and Stefani 114-108.

• In men’s doubles, three-time US Open champions Rajeev Ram of the United States and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain advanced to the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-4 upset of defending champions and this year’s No. 2 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina in one hour and 27 minutes on Court 5.

The winners combined to garner 29 of 38 (76 percent) first-serve points and struck 37 winners. They outpointed the Spanish/Argentine duo 66-57.

In the semifinals, Ram and Salisbury will face No. 6 seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz of Germany, who went the distance to beat No. 3 seeds Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (10-7), in two hours and 30 minutes on Court 11 in the quarterfinal round.

The Germans combined to hit 56 winners and outpointed their opponents 115-112.

Also, No. 1 seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain advanced to the semifinals with a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over No. 7 seeds Guido Andreozzi of Argentina and Manuel Guinard of France in two hours and 19 minutes on Court 12. Heliovaara and Patten struck 49 winners and outpointed their opponents 109-92.

In the semifinal round, Heliovaara and Patten will face No. 5 seeds Christian Harrison of the United States and Neal Skupski of Great Britain. The American/British pair defeated  No. 4 seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy, 6-3, 6-2, in one hour and 22 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium Thursday night by combining to hit six aces and 28 winners. They outpointed the Italians 68-50.

Wednesday’s US Open results 

Thursday’s US Open order of play

By the numbers

• The Top Four women’s players in the world have made it to the US Open semifinals. On Thursday, it will be No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka versus No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula followed by No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina versus No. 4 seed Coco Gauff. 

This hasn’t happened at all Grand Slam for the women since 2009 at Wimbledon. All but Pegula is a reigning major champion.

 

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• Before Wednesday’s Ben Shelton–Carlos Alcaraz quarterfinal match shattered the record for the latest finish in US Open history, 3:33 a.m., the previous record was 2:50 a.m., set in 2022 by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The third-latest finish came in 2024 at 2:35 a.m., set by Alexander Zverev and Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

“Quotable …”

“As I said before the tournament began, my expectation was to go there, compete, play in these kinds of matches, for me being healthy. It was close. It was close. So I’m just not going to be disappointed about not getting the win at the end. I’m just happy. I’m just proud about myself, about how I fought. 

“After the third set, physically I was really tired, but I found a way to push myself up and to physically give extra. In the fifth set I just started to feel better and better, but I was playing against one of the [best]. He is a beast. Shelton is an unbelievable player, powerful. He just managed to play really, really well in every situation, so credit to him. 

“But I leave the court happy. I leave the court with a smile, healthy, and this is what I needed.”

– Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, during an interview with reporters early Wednesday, after losing his quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton that ended at 3:33 a.m., and went five sets.

 

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