Rybakina Advances to US Open Round of 16 After Straight-Sets Victory
New York, The Gulf Observer: Kazakhstan’s world No. 2 Elena Rybakina has advanced to the round of 16 at the 2026 US Open after securing her third consecutive victory at the Grand Slam tournament.
Rybakina defeated Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva, ranked 58th in the world, in straight sets in the third round, maintaining her impressive campaign at Flushing Meadows. The victory sees the Kazakh star equal her best-ever performance at the US Open, having also reached the round of 16 at last year’s tournament.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion opened her 2026 US Open campaign with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American Thea Frodin before overcoming Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-4 in the second round.
Rybakina entered the tournament as the second seed and is seeking to strengthen her position in the race for the world No. 1 ranking. Her progress also follows concerns over her fitness after she withdrew from the Cincinnati Open because of a leg injury and Achilles tendon issue.
In the fourth round, Rybakina will face Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who advanced after defeating Belgium’s Elise Mertens in a closely contested three-set encounter. The matchup is expected to be one of the notable clashes in the women’s draw.
Rybakina’s continued progress keeps Kazakhstan firmly represented among the leading contenders at the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season.
