Elena Rybakina’s US Open run has done more than carry her into the semifinals. It has also taken her to the top of the women’s game, with the 27-year-old becoming world No. 1 after beating Qinwen Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The win mattered because it ended nearly 100 weeks without a new women’s No. 1. Since the WTA rankings began in 1975, only 30 women had reached that summit before Rybakina. Now she joins that group after a comeback victory that underlined both her resilience and her ability to handle a big occasion.
How Rybakina reached the summit
Rybakina’s ranking change was not built on one match alone, but the quarterfinal against Zheng was the decisive moment. Once she recovered from a slow start, she took control with a clean second set and then found enough composure in the third to finish the job.
That is what makes the result so significant. It was not just a place in the semifinals. It was the moment the top of the rankings changed hands.
Earlier in the tournament, Rybakina had already shown how close she came to this position before. She had a chance to reach the summit in Cincinnati, but had to retire injured in a quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek. This time, there was no such escape route for her opponent.
Zheng could not hold the line
Zheng arrived with strong credentials of her own after winning gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024, but she could not preserve her lead against a player who kept finding a higher level as the match went on.
That was the key difference. Rybakina stayed calm after losing the opening set, then imposed herself in the middle stages of the match. Once she had the upper hand, the pressure shifted firmly onto Zheng.
The result also fits the wider shape of this US Open. Coco Gauff beat Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, while Alexander Zverev defeated Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1. Karen Khachanov advanced after Alexander Blockx retired injured.
A breakthrough with added meaning
For Rybakina, this is a ranking milestone that gives extra weight to an already strong tournament. For the broader sport, it is a rare change at the top after an extended stretch of stability.
The number one ranking has moved at a major moment, and Rybakina has earned the right to carry it into the next round. The question now is whether she can turn this breakthrough into a title challenge as the US Open reaches its final stages.
