Elena Rybakina powered through her fourth‑round match at the US Open, dispatching Naomi Osaka in straight sets and keeping her quest for the world No.1 ranking firmly on track. The Kazakh star, seeded second, knows that a semi‑final appearance would guarantee her a return to the top of the rankings, and after dismantling the two‑time champion on the iconic Louis Armstrong court, she believes she has a realistic chance of lifting the trophy in New York. Rybakina wrapped up the opening set in just over twenty minutes, cruising to a 6-1 lead by dominating the rallies and serving with precision.
In the second set she secured a crucial break midway through the set, stifling Osaka's attempts at a comeback and eventually sealing the match 6-1, 6-4. The former Wimbledon champion was quick to praise her own performance, saying, "I played really well today. I felt the ball was coming to me nicely. I was a little lucky at times, found some lines, but I’m very happy with how I played." She added that Osaka is a "tough opponent" and that she stayed focused on every point, aware that momentum can shift instantly.
"I want to be world No.1. Everyone would love that.
It's one of my goals. I don’t know what will happen in the next match, but if I serve as well as I did today, I think I have every chance. Hopefully it goes my way," Rybakina said.
Sky Sports commentator Laura Robson praised the Kazakh’s display, noting that "Rybakina's level is just ridiculous. The crowd wanted the match to go on, but she silenced them. She answered every question Osaka asked, from the first ball to the cross‑court rallies. There was simply no space for Osaka to breathe." With the win, Rybakina now prepares to meet Chinese qualifier Qinwen Zheng in the quarter‑finals.
Zheng has been the tournament's surprise package, producing a second dramatic comeback in as many days. After saving a match point and rallying from 5‑0 down in the third set against Madison Keys, Zheng turned her attention to former champion Iga Swiatek on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Swiatek started strongly, taking the first five games, but Zheng refused to surrender. She fought back to win the next seven games, taking the opening set 7-5.
Riding that momentum, Zheng overpowered the stunned Swiatek to close the match 7-5, 6-3, delivering a stunning upset that sent Swiatek into tears and ended her campaign in a shocking fashion. Zheng, who entered the tournament as a qualifier after a lengthy elbow injury layoff, became the first qualifier to reach the US Open quarter‑finals since Emma Raducanu’s historic run in 2021.
Reflecting on her performance, Zheng said, "I started the match not so well but I found my rhythm. It’s been a long, long time since I played on a centre court and I really appreciate being here on Arthur Ashe. I took it point by point and little by little I started to play better and find my game.
I even forgot the score at 4‑5 in the first set, which showed I was focused. To come back from 0‑5 is not lucky, that’s all I can say." Jonathan Overend of Sky Sports highlighted the rarity of Zheng’s achievement, calling it "one of the great comebacks" and noting that she had already turned a 5‑0 deficit into a win against Madison Keys before pulling off the upset over Swiatek. "The Chinese dream lives on as the qualifier makes it into the final eight," he remarked.
The tournament also saw emotional moments elsewhere. Austrian player Anastasia Potapova, a 25‑year‑old, was forced to retire after twisting her knee while chasing a forehand in the third set against fifth seed Mirra Andreeva.
Potapova, who had taken the first set, was down 5‑3 in the final set when the injury occurred. She finished the match with her knee heavily strapped but could not win another point, and Andreeva went on to claim a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory. Andreeva expressed sympathy for her opponent, saying, "Anastasia is a good friend, and seeing her battle and then fall is not easy.
It's not the way you want to finish the match. I just told her she is playing amazing and I'm sure she'll come back even stronger, she's a warrior." The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available through the NOW platform and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London later this month, also covered by Sky Sports.
The tournament remains a showcase of both established stars and emerging talent, with each match adding new chapters to the storied history of the event.