Tennis-Rybakina claims top ranking, Gauff fights back to reach semis

NEW YORK, Sept 9 — Elena Rybakina ensured she will leave Flushing Meadows as the new ​world number one with a comprehensive win over Zheng Qinwen in the U.S. Open quarter-finals on Wednesday, as 2023 champion Coco Gauff came back from a poor ‌start to meet her in the semi-final.

The early programme kicked off barely eight hours after Ben Shelton beat ⁠Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller that ​finished at 3:33 a.m., breaking the record for ⁠the latest ever finish at the U.S. Open.

Zheng had cultivated a reputation as one ‌of the tournament's finest ‌comeback artists but ran out of gas against Rybakina, losing 3-6 6-1 ⁠6-4 as the Kazakh chipped away at her ⁠defences after overcoming early mistakes.

"It's tough to find words," said Rybakina, who dethroned Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the rankings. "It wasn't maybe the highest level but I'm glad I pushed through."

She will face U.S. fan favourite Gauff, who got off to a dreadful start before recovering to beat Russian fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 2-6 ‌7-6(7) 6-2.

Gauff improved her level dramatically across the match, ​drawing on the inspiration of her compatriot Frances Tiafoe's recovery from two sets down the previous evening, as she saved two match points in the tiebreak.

"Elena - she's the new world number one so it's going to be a tough match," said Gauff. "I'm looking forward to the battle. These are the moments you live for."

After the gruelling Alcaraz-Shelton affair that stretched into the early hours, organisers will prepare to brew extra ​coffee again when the men's top seed Alexander Zverev closes out Wednesday's night session against Dutchman ‌Botic van de ‌Zandschulp.

The German ⁠has been responsible for a couple of the very late finishes so far this year at Flushing Meadows, starting his campaign with two back-to-back five-set matches.

Van de Zandschulp has earned a reputation as a capable dragon slayer after he beat Alcaraz at the 2024 U.S. ‌Open and Novak Djokovic ​at Indian Wells last year.

Zverev and Van de ‌Zandschulp will take to the ⁠court after a ​quarter-final between Russian Karen Khachanov and Belgian Alexander Blockx.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; editing by ​Clare Fallon)

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