Elena Rybakina reached the U.S. Open quarter-finals on Monday after a dominant performance against former champion Naomi Osaka. Rybakina secured a 6-1, 6-4 victory at Louis Armstrong Stadium in a matchup between power-hitting Grand Slam champions.
The win took just 66 minutes, with Rybakina firing 29 winners and saving the only break point she faced. This flawless victory moves the Australian Open winner closer to claiming her third Grand Slam title.
Rybakina expressed amazement at her progress from an ankle injury that caused fitness doubts until the eve of the tournament. With this win, she is now just one victory away from achieving the world number one ranking in women's tennis.
Rybakina's advance to the last-eight books a quarter-final clash with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen.