Elena Rybakina moved within one win of becoming the new world No. 1 after powering past Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 to reach the US Open quarterfinals on Monday.
The second-seeded Kazakh will take on China's Zheng Qinwen, who produced another stunning comeback to beat No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3. Rybakina will replace Aryna Sabalenka at No. 1 if she reaches the semifinals.
"Of course I want it," Rybakina said. "I try to approach the same way, fight until the end and see what happens."
Zheng, the 2024 Olympic champion, again fought back from 0-5 down, repeating her remarkable escape against Madison Keys two days earlier. She became the first qualifier to reach the US Open quarterfinals since Emma Raducanu won the title in 2021.
Rybakina, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, overwhelmed Osaka in just 66 minutes, finishing with an ace. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, appeared hampered by a foot or ankle issue.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff beat Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 and will face French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, who overcame Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
In the men's draw, Botic van de Zandschulp outlasted Arthur Gea in a gruelling 5-hour, 13-minute battle, while Alexander Blockx became the first Belgian man to reach the US Open quarterfinals.
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