The first meeting between Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka goes to Rybakina.
Heading into a highly anticipated first-time clash of multiple major champions, Naomi Osaka was 23-1 when she had won the first set in 2026.
Elena Rybakina put forth a gritty performance and fought off Osaka in a tense three-set battle, coming through with a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory to set a semifinal with Coco Gauff.
Gauff, who advanced when Belinda Bencic retired due to an injury, defeated Rybakina in their lone meeting in 2022. It was a wild match that saw Rybakina save four match points to force a third set before she lost in a deciding set tiebreak.
Rybakina had a bit of a wild ride on Tuesday evening as well, but managed to get it across the line.
“First game straight away, she broke me, so yeah, it was a really tough one,” Rybakina said of her 38th victory of 2026 against 11 losses . “I’m glad that I turned it around. I don’t know how yet, but I think that the serve sort of helped me a little bit in some moments, definitely.”
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Osaka had her grip on the contest early, and even held it late, but an opportunistic Rybakina hung on through difficult moments, overcame an erratic forehand and used poise under pressure to close the door on Osaka.
After the four-time major champion scored the opening set on the strength of an early break, she was twice up a break in the second but couldn’t hold the advantage.
Rybakina delivered her best forehand return of the match at 5-5 in the second-set tiebreak to earn a set point, and she stepped to the service line and quickly converted it, ripping a drive volley winner into the open court.
Four break points came and went with Rybakina serving at 2-3 in the final set, including three in succession from 0-40. She eventually lashed a forehand winner for 3-3, and that hold would prove critical.
In the next game Rybakina did what Osaka couldn’t – she broke when Osaka steered a crosscourt forehand wide of the tramline.
Osaka, left fist tapping her left thigh, was hopeful as she prepared to return serve with Rybakina serving at 4-3, deuce. Her big chance never materialized, however, as Rybakina battened down the hatches.
She closed the match with an ace out wide, leaving Osaka disappointed to not come out with a victory in a match where she held the upper hand for so long.
Rybakina finished with 43 winners and 72 unforced errors, while Osaka hit 18 winners and 51 unforced. Those stats don’t do justice to the compelling first-time matchup that was close all the way to the finish line.
Rybakina, meanwhile, moves closer to the No.1 ranking. She would be just four ranking points behind Aryna Sabalenka if she could come away with the title.
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Is it on her mind?
“Only when you ask, I have to think about it,” she said to Tennis Channel during her post-match interview. “I’m just staying present.”
Chris Oddo. Chris Oddo is a freelance sportswriter, podcaster, blogger and social media marker who is a lead contributor to Tennisnow.com. He also writes for USOpen.org, Rolandgarros.com, BNPParibasOpen.com, TennisTV.com, WTAtennis.com and the official US Open program.
