NEW YORK — Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina secured a historic rise to World No. 1 after fighting back to defeat China’s Zheng Qinwen in the US Open quarterfinals, a victory that also sent her into the tournament’s final four for the first time.
The 27-year-old Rybakina recovered from a set down to beat Olympic champion Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, guaranteeing that she will take over the top spot in the WTA rankings when the updated list is released after the US Open.
But while reaching World No. 1 marks the biggest ranking milestone of her career, Rybakina made it clear that she is not ready to celebrate just yet.
There is still a US Open title to win.
Rybakina Makes History for Kazakhstan
Rybakina will become the first player from Kazakhstan—male or female—to reach World No. 1 in singles, according to the WTA.
She is also set to become the 30th woman in WTA history to hold the top singles ranking, adding another historic chapter to a career that already includes Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
The breakthrough ends Aryna Sabalenka’s reign at the summit of women’s tennis when the new rankings are released after the tournament.
For Rybakina, however, the historic ranking is only part of the story.
“It means a lot, of course,” Rybakina said after the match, while emphasizing that her focus remains on winning more titles.
Zheng Strikes First—Then Rybakina Takes Control
The match did not begin as Rybakina would have wanted.
Zheng came out aggressively and captured the opening set 6-3, handing the Kazakh star her first set loss of the tournament.
But Rybakina responded with the kind of composure that has defined her run toward the top of the rankings.
She dominated the second set 6-1 before edging Zheng 6-4 in the decider after more than two hours of intense tennis.
The victory was particularly significant given the pressure surrounding the match.
A place in the US Open semifinals was at stake.
So was the World No. 1 ranking.
And Rybakina delivered.
Her latest win also continued a remarkable trend against Zheng. The WTA noted that Rybakina had now come back from a set down to defeat the Chinese star in all three of their meetings this season, extending her overall head-to-head advantage to 5-1.
From Injury Concerns to the Top of the World
Rybakina’s rise has been even more remarkable considering the challenges she faced entering the US Open.
The Kazakh star had recently been dealing with a left ankle injury that forced her to retire from her Cincinnati quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek.
Yet she arrived in New York determined to compete—and ultimately turned the tournament into the defining run of her career.
The 2026 Australian Open champion entered the US Open as one of several players capable of finishing the tournament at World No. 1.
But by reaching the semifinals, she removed all doubt.
The top ranking is now hers.
Coco Gauff Stands Between Rybakina and the US Open Final
Rybakina’s next challenge could hardly be bigger.
She is set to face American star and former US Open champion Coco Gauff in the semifinals, after Gauff battled past Mirra Andreeva in a dramatic three-set quarterfinal.
The matchup will pit the incoming World No. 1 against one of the tournament’s biggest home favorites. Reuters reported that the women’s semifinals will feature the tournament’s top four seeds, marking a rare showdown among the elite of women’s tennis.
Rybakina and Gauff have split their previous meetings, adding another layer of intrigue to a semifinal that could determine who reaches the championship match.
And Rybakina knows the pressure will only increase from here.
No. 1 Is Secured—But Rybakina Wants More
For many players, reaching World No. 1 would be the perfect ending to a tournament.
For Rybakina, it is simply another milestone.
She now has the chance to reach her first US Open final and potentially claim a third Grand Slam singles title.
The official US Open website reported that despite securing the ranking milestone, Rybakina remained focused on the task immediately ahead rather than the significance of becoming No. 1.
That mentality may be exactly what brought her to this point.
Calm under pressure.
Powerful from the baseline.
And increasingly difficult to stop.
Elena Rybakina has officially conquered the rankings.
But with the US Open trophy still within reach, the biggest question now is this: Can the new World No. 1 finish the job and turn a historic week into a career-defining Grand Slam triumph?
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