Elena Rybakina has had Naomi Osaka under heavy pressure from the start in their US Open 2026 day nine meeting, building a commanding lead and moving to the point where she served for the match at 6-1, 5-4.
The scoreline underlined just how forcefully Rybakina has played. Osaka was forced to absorb early pressure, and although she later broke back, the match had already been shaped by Rybakina's power and control.
Rybakina's control from the opening games
At the start of the match, Rybakina established the tone quickly. The early scoreboard pressure never really eased, and she also moved through a spell in which she reached three match points, a sign of how much control she had over the contest.
Osaka did find a response later on and broke back, which meant Rybakina had to serve it out at 6-1, 5-4. But even then, the broader picture remained the same: Rybakina had been the more powerful and more decisive player for most of the match.
What the score tells us
This was not a match that looked evenly balanced for long. Rybakina's strength off the ground and her ability to keep Osaka under constant pressure made the difference, with the 6-1 opening set setting the tone for everything that followed.
By the time Rybakina was serving for it at 6-1, 5-4, the only real question left was whether Osaka could force one more turn in the match. The way Rybakina had played suggested she was in firm control throughout.
