During the amazing US Open competitions, Elena Rybakina, the ۲۰۲۲ Wimbledon and ۲۰۲۳ Australian Open champion, reached the quarterfinals of this tournament. She achieved a commanding ۲-۰ victory against former rival and two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, and is now looking for a new challenge.
Path to the Summit
This match for Rybakina was not just a simple victory, but also an opportunity to ascend to the top of the world rankings. If she can reach the semifinals, she will take Aryna Sabalenka's spot at the top of the global rankings, even if Sabalenka wins her third consecutive title at the US Open. Rybakina said, "Of course, I want to achieve this goal. No one would want to miss this dream."
She also emphasized that she will continue in her usual manner and fight until the last moment in every match. "Let's see what happens!"
Strength Against Challenges
Rybakina needed only ۶۶ minutes in this match, during which she scored ۲۹ winning shots and saved the only break point she faced. While Osaka was dealing with a left knee injury, this affected her performance and led to many unnecessary mistakes. Osaka tried to save the last two points in the final game, but Rybakina finished the match with a flawless serving performance.
Rybakina, who suffered from a foot injury before this tournament, expressed her happiness with her progress, saying, "This is an amazing improvement. I'm really happy that everything went well. We didn't even know if I could play or not. I have a great team and a doctor who is always in touch."
She also noted that she has not performed well in some matches, but today she played one of her best games.
