Rybakina beats qualifier Zheng to reach US Open semis and secure No. 1 spot

NEW YORK —Second seed Elena Rybakina ended Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen's stirring U.S. Open run with a 3-6 6-1 6-4 victory on Wednesday, advancing to the semi-finals and securing the world number one ranking for the first time.

The Australian Open winner, who will replace Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the rankings when they are updated after the tournament, recovered from a slow start and struck 20 winners as she gradually broke down Zheng’s resistance.

Olympic champion Zheng, forced to go through qualifying after a chronic elbow injury disrupted her career, wrote a fine comeback story in New York and exited the court to applause from the crowd.

Rybakina will next play either fifth seed Mirra Andreeva or 2023 winner Coco Gauff.

Zheng saved five break points in a marathon ninth game before closing out the opening set, but her level dipped in the second set as the Australian Open winner grabbed the momentum. Zheng produced only one winner in the set, compared with 10 from her opponent.

Zheng had done some of her best work in New York when her back was against the wall and she saved three break points in the penultimate game of the third set, but Rybakina’s pressure finally told as Zheng surrendered the decisive break with a double fault.—Reuters