Rybakina defeats Osaka to reach US Open quarter-finals and eye world No. 1 spot
Kazakh second seed Elena Rybakina beat Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 at the US Open, moving into the quarter-finals and positioning herself to become world number one with a win.
Elena Rybakina advanced to the US Open quarter-finals after defeating Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Kazakh second seed will face China's Zheng Qinwen, who rallied from a 0-5 deficit in the first set to overcome former champion Iga Swiatek in the previous round. A victory in the upcoming match would give Rybakina her first world number one ranking, regardless of whether top-seed Aryna Sabalenka retains her title. > "Of course I want it, I don't know anyone who won't want this," Rybakina said of the ranking. > "I tried to approach it the same way and do everything I can, and fight to the end of my next match. If I serve as well as I did today, I think I can do well. Let's hope it goes my way."