Osaka bows out, Rybakina closes in on No. 1

Elena Rybakina overpowered Naomi Osaka at the US Open yesterday and moved within one victory of becoming the top-ranked player in women’s tennis.

Standing in her way is Zheng Qinwen, who has shown remarkable resilience throughout the tournament. Even when Zheng falls far behind, she refuses to stay there.

Rybakina advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Osaka in a clash of power-hitting Grand Slam champions. The No. 2 seed is guaranteed to replace Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the WTA rankings if she reaches the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.