Elena Rybakina, having defeated Japan's Naomi Osaka 6:1, 6:4, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 US Open tennis championship. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Rybakina completed the first set against Osaka in 21 minutes. Our tennis player literally overpowered her opponent with the power of her serves and baseline shots. Breaks in the fourth and sixth games confirmed Elena's superiority – 6:1.
The second set was more competitive. Up to 3:3, the opponents held their serves. However, in the seventh game, the Kazakhstani player managed a decisive break. The rest was a matter of technique. A confident victory for Elena the Beautiful – 6:1, 6:4 in 66 minutes. Aces: 6:2. Double faults: 1:5. Total points won: 60:41.
In the quarterfinals, Rybakina will face China's Zheng Qinwen (121), who sensationally eliminated Poland's Iga Swiatek (8) in the round of 16 – 7:5, 6:3. In head-to-head matches with the Paris 2024 Olympic champion, Elena leads 4:1. In case of a fifth victory in this rivalry, the Kazakhstani player, regardless of other tennis players' performances at US Open 2026, will top the WTA world rankings for the first time in history.
In doubles, no representatives of Kazakhstan remain. Last night in New York, the pair Anna Danilina/Aleksandra Krunic ended their run. The reason is a knee injury to the Serbian tennis player. Today, Alexander Bublik, paired with China's Shang Juncheng, also withdrew from the tournament. Earlier, the Kazakhstani had lost in singles. Our junior Damir Zhalgasbay continues his fight in New York, also in doubles (with American Safir Azam).
The US Open is an annual Grand Slam tournament on hard courts. It is the last of the four majors in the calendar year. The total prize fund is $108 million – a record for majors.
Since 1978, matches have been held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
The reigning men's champion is Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (3), who defeated Jannik Sinner in last year's final. The Italian, the world No. 1, withdrew from US Open 2026 due to a knee injury. Alcaraz, having beaten Bublik's nemesis Tommy Paul (21) of the USA 6:4, 6:3, 6:4, reached the quarterfinals of the current tournament.
In women's singles, the 2025 winner was Aryna Sabalenka (1). In the final, she defeated Amanda Anisimova of the USA. The Belarusian has also already reached the 2026 quarterfinals, defeating American Taylor Townsend (96) – 6:4, 6:3.