US Open 2026: Elena Rybakina Ousts Naomi Osaka, Alexander Zverev Advances, and Zheng Qinwen Stuns Iga Swiatek

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-09 12:11:00

The final Grand Slam of the year delivered thrilling tennis action as Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina and Germany's Alexander Zverev secured spectacular victories to book their places in the US Open quarterfinals. Rybakina showcased stellar form to defeat former champion Naomi Osaka of Japan, while top-seeded French Open champion Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to decisively dismantle Italy's Luciano Darderi in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3). Playing his fourth consecutive night match at Flushing Meadows, the 29-year-old German wrapped up proceedings before midnight—a welcome change after grueling five-set battles earlier in the tournament. Reflecting on his swift victory, Zverev joked about having free time before midnight and expressed satisfaction with his consistent baseline performance and progression to the next round.

Epic Comebacks and Marathons Highlight Singles Draws at Flushing Meadows

The tournament grounds witnessed high drama across multiple courts as players battled through exhausting multi-set marathons. At the Louis Armstrong Stadium, Russia's Karen Khachanov staged a remarkable comeback to overcome 20-year-old American talent Lerner Tien with a scoreline of 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4. Meanwhile, on the Grandstand Court, the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp outfought Arthur Gea in a five-set thriller 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4, while Belgium's Alexander Blachs defeated Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to punch his ticket to his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance.

Rybakina Eyes World No. 1 Ranking While Coco Gauff Advances

Elena Rybakina's dominant 6-1, 6-4 victory over Naomi Osaka put her firmly on course for her third major title. The Kazakh star stands just one win away from clinching the coveted world number one ranking for the first time in her professional career, provided she overcomes Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals. On the American front, fourth-seeded Coco Gauff defeated compatriot Eva Yovich 6-1, 6-4 to reach the last eight alongside compatriots Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelson, and Ben Shelton. Gauff now faces a high-stakes showdown against Russia's Mira Andreeva, who battled past Austria's Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Zheng Qinwen Pulls Off Massive Upset Against Iga Swiatek

In one of the most stunning turns of the tournament, China's Zheng Qinwen pulled off a massive upset by eliminating six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. Replicating her famous resilience from previous rounds where she erased massive deficits, Zheng dropped the first five games against the 2022 champion in a mere 20 minutes before staging a breathtaking comeback to triumph 7-5, 6-3. With this victory, Zheng etches her name in history as the first female qualifier to reach the US Open quarterfinals since Emma Raducanu's historic run in 2021.

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