Elena Rybakina Dismisses World No. 1 Ranking as the ‘Main Goal’ at the US Open

Elena Rybakina has openly acknowledged that ascending to the WTA world No. 1 ranking is one of her primary career ambitions. However, the 27-year-old Kazakh star maintains that securing tournament titles remains the ultimate priority for herself and her coaching staff.

The second seed arrived at Flushing Meadows with a clear intent to compete regardless of external milestones, suggesting a positive physical recovery. She stated that her decision to play the tournament was absolute from the moment her foot injury showed day-by-day progress. Rybakina said in her press conference:

I never want to miss the tournaments. No matter where I go I want to win of course. Seeing day by day that I’m having good progress with my foot, I straight away said I’m gonna try and play. There was no doubt about this. The No. 1 ranking is of course one of the goals but I think the main focus for me and the team is to win the titles and then the ranking will follow up. We go match by match but obviously we want to win the titles, tournaments. That’s my main goal.

While acknowledging the historical significance of reaching the top spot in women’s tennis, Rybakina emphasized a match-by-match philosophy. She believes that if she and her team remain focused on lifting trophies, the corresponding ranking points will naturally follow suit.

Elena Rybakina says the world No. 1 ranking is one of her goals, but it’s not the main one, ‘The main focus for me and my team is to win the titles’

“You’re very close to achieving the No. 1 ranking. I’m curious what that would mean to you and how much of a factor was that even… pic.twitter.com/bDLiuA1NBJ

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 8, 2026

Her pursuit of the summit reflects a mature competitive mindset that values championship performances over numerical accolades. By keeping her eyes fixed on match execution, Rybakina has successfully maneuvered deep into the second week of the hard-court major.

Elena Rybakina’s dominant run at the US Open

Elena Rybakina advanced to her maiden US Open quarter-final by securing a comprehensive 6-1, 6-4 victory over former champion Naomi Osaka. The second seed needed just 66 minutes on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court to dismantle the 13th-seeded Japanese player.

Rybakina utilized her powerful serve effectively, firing seven aces and winning 87 percent of her first-serve points during the contest. This clinical performance allowed her to capture the opening set in a swift 22 minutes before closing out the straight-set triumph.

Osaka faced visible physical difficulties during the encounter, notably struggling with a lingering Achilles tendon issue. Despite the challenging circumstances for her opponent, Rybakina maintained relentless baseline control by hitting 29 winners and converting three break points.

This victory officially places Rybakina just one win away from claiming the WTA world No. 1 ranking for the first time. Furthermore, it completes her career set of reaching the quarter-finals across all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Qinwen Zheng’s remarkable US Open campaign

Qinwen Zheng booked her spot in the quarter-finals by engineering a stunning 7-5, 6-3 comeback victory over eighth seed Iga Swiatek. The Chinese player mounted a furious rally after dropping the first five games of the match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Zheng’s resilience mirrored her previous-round performance, in which she similarly overcame a 5-0 deficit in the deciding set against Madison Keys. Having entered the main draw via the qualifying rounds following prior elbow surgery, she has displayed immense grit throughout the fortnight.

The victory over Swiatek marks Zheng’s third career appearance in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows. She successfully neutralized Swiatek’s game by securing five service breaks from 13 total opportunities.

As the reigning Olympic champion, Zheng now prepares to face Elena Rybakina in what promises to be a high-stakes quarter-final showdown. Both competitors enter this next stage carrying significant momentum from their respective fourth-round triumphs.

Also Read: Naomi Osaka Not ‘Disappointed’ After US Open Exit: “It’s a Very Strange Feeling”