15 hours ago
Elena Rybakina is one win away from the world number one ranking, but the Kazakh star says her main goal in her US Open quarter-final clash with Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday is to advance toward a third Grand Slam ******* le.
"Number one ranking is, of course, one of the goals," Rybakina says. "But I think the main focus for me is to win the ******* les, and then the ranking will follow up."
Rybakina arrived at Flushing Meadows as one of four women with a chance to supplant Aryna Sabalenka atop the rankings, and the only one with her fate in her own hands. Reaching the semis will send her to the summit for the first time, and she could even get there if she loses -- if Sabalenka, world number three Jessica Pegula and fourth-ranked Coco Gauff all fail to lift the trophy.
Rybakina, who has shown no sign of the foot injury that hindered her US Open preparations, will be out to halt the remarkable run of Zheng -- the Paris Olympics gold medallist who had to come through qualifying thanks to a rankings plunge in the wake of elbow surgery last year.
Gauff, in the quarters for the first time since she won the US Open ******* le in 2023, will take on fifth-seeded French Open champion Mirra Andreeva for a place in the semis while men's top seed Alexander Zverev faces Dutch veteran Botic van de Zandschulp.
#open
"Number one ranking is, of course, one of the goals," Rybakina says. "But I think the main focus for me is to win the ******* les, and then the ranking will follow up."
Rybakina arrived at Flushing Meadows as one of four women with a chance to supplant Aryna Sabalenka atop the rankings, and the only one with her fate in her own hands. Reaching the semis will send her to the summit for the first time, and she could even get there if she loses -- if Sabalenka, world number three Jessica Pegula and fourth-ranked Coco Gauff all fail to lift the trophy.
Rybakina, who has shown no sign of the foot injury that hindered her US Open preparations, will be out to halt the remarkable run of Zheng -- the Paris Olympics gold medallist who had to come through qualifying thanks to a rankings plunge in the wake of elbow surgery last year.
Gauff, in the quarters for the first time since she won the US Open ******* le in 2023, will take on fifth-seeded French Open champion Mirra Andreeva for a place in the semis while men's top seed Alexander Zverev faces Dutch veteran Botic van de Zandschulp.
#open
1 day ago
Frenchman Arthur Gea failed to convert a match point which would have seen him make history as the first lucky loser to ever reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.
Instead the 21-year-old fell in a gruelling five-set encounter with Botic van de Zandschulp, having also failed to serve out victory when he had the chance in the fourth set.
Three hours after holding match point the world No 87 was out, with van de Zandschulp battling back to win 3-6 6-7 (0-7) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 in five hours and 13 minutes - the fourth-longest match on record in New York.
Gea had to go through qualifying as his ranking was not high enough to automatically qualify for the main draw at the time entry lists were published. He lost to Nishesh Basavareddy in the final round of qualifying but was granted a reprieve when former runner-up Casper Ruud withdrew with injury before the tournament began, taking the Norwegian's place.
Gea seized his opportunity by making the fourth round but could not get past world No 70 van de Zandschulp, although he may take some comfort in his prize money of $480,000 - more than seven times the $66,000 he had expected to earn through qualifying.
#zandschulp #match
Instead the 21-year-old fell in a gruelling five-set encounter with Botic van de Zandschulp, having also failed to serve out victory when he had the chance in the fourth set.
Three hours after holding match point the world No 87 was out, with van de Zandschulp battling back to win 3-6 6-7 (0-7) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 in five hours and 13 minutes - the fourth-longest match on record in New York.
Gea had to go through qualifying as his ranking was not high enough to automatically qualify for the main draw at the time entry lists were published. He lost to Nishesh Basavareddy in the final round of qualifying but was granted a reprieve when former runner-up Casper Ruud withdrew with injury before the tournament began, taking the Norwegian's place.
Gea seized his opportunity by making the fourth round but could not get past world No 70 van de Zandschulp, although he may take some comfort in his prize money of $480,000 - more than seven times the $66,000 he had expected to earn through qualifying.
#zandschulp #match
1 day ago
France's Arthur Gea was one point away from being the first lucky loser to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final - but three hours later he was out of the US Open.
Gea, 22, was unable to convert a match point in a third-set tie-break against Dutch opponent Botic van de Zandschulp, then could not serve out victory in the fourth set of a gruelling fourth-round contest.
Van de Zandschulp took full advantage to escape from the jaws of defeat, going on to secure a 3-6 6-7 (0-7) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 win after five hours and 13 minutes - the fourth longest match on record at Flushing Meadows.
World number 87 Gea was not ranked high enough for the main draw when the US Open entry list was finalised, meaning he had to go through qualifying instead.
Seeded first, he lost to American Nishesh Basavareddy in the third and final round but earned a reprieve when 2022 finalist Casper Ruud withdrew injured on the eve of the tournament.
#zandschulp #round
Gea, 22, was unable to convert a match point in a third-set tie-break against Dutch opponent Botic van de Zandschulp, then could not serve out victory in the fourth set of a gruelling fourth-round contest.
Van de Zandschulp took full advantage to escape from the jaws of defeat, going on to secure a 3-6 6-7 (0-7) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 win after five hours and 13 minutes - the fourth longest match on record at Flushing Meadows.
World number 87 Gea was not ranked high enough for the main draw when the US Open entry list was finalised, meaning he had to go through qualifying instead.
Seeded first, he lost to American Nishesh Basavareddy in the third and final round but earned a reprieve when 2022 finalist Casper Ruud withdrew injured on the eve of the tournament.
#zandschulp #round
1 month ago
Defending champion Ben Shelton kept a clean slate at the ATP Montreal Masters on Sunday, holding off a challenge from Joao Fonseca to power 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) into the quarter-finals.
World number 10 Shelton has not dropped a set in reaching the last eight. The 23-year-old American left-hander will face the winner of a later match between Botic Van De Zandschulp and 13th seed Jakub Mensik.
Brazilian teenager Fonseca, billed as one of the faces for the future of the sport, might have compromised his own chances when he landed badly on his ankle after missing a smash while leading 3-1, 40-30 in the second set.
The youngster was plagued by 32 unforced errors as his opponent mastered an annoying evening wind to earn the victory.
"It was tough today, not easy conditions," Shelton said. "With the wind I struggled to find footing on a lot of **** .
#shelton #wind
World number 10 Shelton has not dropped a set in reaching the last eight. The 23-year-old American left-hander will face the winner of a later match between Botic Van De Zandschulp and 13th seed Jakub Mensik.
Brazilian teenager Fonseca, billed as one of the faces for the future of the sport, might have compromised his own chances when he landed badly on his ankle after missing a smash while leading 3-1, 40-30 in the second set.
The youngster was plagued by 32 unforced errors as his opponent mastered an annoying evening wind to earn the victory.
"It was tough today, not easy conditions," Shelton said. "With the wind I struggled to find footing on a lot of **** .
#shelton #wind
