Elena Rybakina reached the Round of 16 with a 7-6(6), 6-3 win over Yuliia Starodubtseva, but it was not as comfortable as the score suggests. She was broken at 4-4 in the first set and made 22 unforced errors, with her 11 aces helping her survive the tiebreak. She settled down in the second set and closed it out. But the post-match interview quickly turned awkward before Rybakina revealed her bigger target.

The awkward moment came almost immediately. The interviewer congratulated Rybakina on reaching the US Open fourth round for the first time, only for her to question him: “Is it the first one? I’m not sure. What was it last year?” He quickly corrected himself, admitting, “It’s your second time in the fourth round. Apologies for that.”

Rybakina was right to question the interviewer. She had already reached the US Open fourth round in 2025, where Marketa Vondroušová beat her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Czech, ranked No. 60 at the time, knocked out the ninth-seeded Rybakina to reach the quarterfinals. So this is Rybakina’s second US Open Round of 16 appearance, not her first.

This time, the stakes are much higher, and the woman who stopped her last year is not even in the draw. Rybakina is chasing both the US Open title and the World No.1 ranking.

Vondroušová is not in the 2026 US Open draw. In June, the ITIA suspended her for four years after an independent tribunal found no compelling justification for her refusal to take an out-of-competition anti-doping test in December 2025. Her suspension runs until June 21, 2030, ruling her out of Grand Slams and other sanctioned events.

Rybakina’s latest win also kept her firmly in the World No.1 race. Sabalenka entered the tournament with 8,575 points to Rybakina’s 8,141, leaving just 434 points between them.

When asked about the No.1 ranking, Rybakina played down the hype. “Not there yet. It’s still very far… I need to focus on my next match and not think about it,” she said.

That next match is against Naomi Osaka, who reached the fourth round by beating Elise Mertens. Rybakina has a recent reason to feel confident, having beaten Osaka in the Canadian Open quarterfinals after dropping the first set.

Still, Rybakina is not looking beyond the next round. “I just try to do my best. I try to enjoy it and fight till the end. And hopefully I will achieve the goal very soon,” she added.

What Stands Between Elena Rybakina and the US Open Title?

With World No.2 Elena Rybakina set to face Naomi Osaka in the Round of 16, her path to the title only gets tougher from here.

If she beats Osaka, Iga Swiatek could await in the quarterfinals. The pair have split their 2026 meetings, with Rybakina winning at the Australian Open before Swiatek responded in Toronto. Rybakina’s serve gives her a major weapon on hard courts, but Swiatek’s movement and returning would make that matchup difficult.

A semifinal could bring Coco Gauff. Rybakina beat her in Toronto earlier this year, coming back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. Gauff, though, has reached the US Open fourth round without dropping a set, making her another major obstacle.

Aryna Sabalenka could then be waiting in the final. Sabalenka leads their rivalry 10-7, but Rybakina beat her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in this year’s Australian Open final.

Sabalenka has looked just as sharp in New York. The two-time defending champion reached the fourth round without dropping a set, losing only eight games across her first two matches before beating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4. Sabalenka hit 10 aces, faced no break points and extended her US Open winning streak.

Rybakina has already shown she can beat every major name in her possible path. But with Osaka, Swiatek, Gauff and Sabalenka all potential opponents, there is little margin for error.