Rybakina reaches US Open semifinal and is guaranteed to become new world No. 1

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina defeated China's Zheng Qinwen at the US Open in New York to reach the tournament semifinal, and by the end of the championship she is guaranteed to become the new world No. 1. The match lasted two hours and fifteen minutes and ended 3:6, 6:1, 6:4, putting an end to her opponent's surprise run — Zheng had reached the quarterfinal through qualifying.

"Right now that (the world No. 1 ranking) is just a number. I'm in the semifinal and I want to win the tournament," Rybakina said after the match, keeping her usual composure. She admitted she wasn't thrilled about a match that began at 11:30 local time: "Sun, shade... I struggled with myself a bit. I'm glad I managed to push away the negative thoughts," said the current Australian Open champion.

Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen had come back from 0-2 in sets in her previous two matches at the tournament, but today her seven-match winning streak came to an end. The decisive break at 4:5 in the third set came courtesy of a double fault from the Chinese player.

Sabalenka loses top spot

Aryna Sabalenka beat Linda Nosková in the quarterfinal, but the win wasn't enough to keep her status as world No. 1. Still, the Belarusian retains a chance to win the season's final Grand Slam tournament for a third consecutive time — in the semifinal she will face American Jessica Pegula.

Rybakina's rival — Gauff

In the battle for a place in the final, Rybakina will face two-time Grand Slam champion and 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff. The fourth seed saved two match points in the second-set tiebreak in her match against lower-seeded Andreeva to reach her seventh Grand Slam semifinal. She beat the Russian in two hours and 21 minutes, despite committing 12 double faults of her own.

Twenty-two-year-old Gauff lost the first set, largely due to 15 unforced errors. In the second set she twice failed to convert a break advantage and, in the tiebreak, faced match points at 5-6 and 6-7. Nevertheless, she won the tiebreak 9-7, and in the third set allowed the current Roland Garros champion to win just two games. As a result, all four of the world's top-ranked players have reached the US Open semifinals.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz