Elena Rybakina has put together one of the best runs of her year so far, and will now face Iga Swiatek for a chance to compete for the Cincinnati Open title.
It would be nothing less than she has deserved, having swept aside some of the sport’s biggest names, including the world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
In all honesty, she crushed the Belarusian in their quarter-final match, putting on a serving masterclass whilst playing with incredible proficiency when handed the chance to break.
If she is to now topple Iga Swiatek as well, the Kazakhstan superstar must retain that focus against an opponent who never lets up.
Previewing the match, Elena Rybakina seems to know what she will need to do if she is to record yet another impressive victory.
Elena Rybakina previews her semi-final vs Iga Swiatek
Speaking to the WTA, she first took time to look back on what must go down as one of her most impressive performances of 2025.
After all, very few boast the honour of having defeated Sabalenka, let alone as comprehensively as she did.
Naturally, it was her serve that gave her the most pleasure, in what some are describing as one of the biggest weapons in women’s tennis.
Then shifting her attention to the future, and her Cincinnati Open semi-final in particular, Rybakina continued: “Yeah, hopefully I can play as good as today.
“I think the serve is going to be again the key for me to start the rallies and bring intensity. I’ll try to recover also because I’ve been playing a lot and try to stay fresh for the match because she brings a lot of intensity.
“She’s physically ready and I know it’s going to be a tough battle, but I will do my best.”
After that win, Rybakina admitted that Sabalenka could have done one thing differently which could have changed the match completely.
Is Iga Swiatek the favourite for the US Open title?
Having won Wimbledon when nobody thought she could, it really feels like Swiatek has completely transformed the narrative that was surrounding her before that latest Grand Slam title.
After all, ahead of her return to the All-England Club, the former world number one was enduring a title drought that extended well over a year.
She was dropping in the rankings, and despite routinely going deep, just could not convert her chances against players she would have beaten with ease in years gone by.
And yet, she now finds herself as one of, if not the favourite to win the US Open title too, as a former champion at this event.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images
This is especially pertinent given how comfortably she has cruised into the Cincinnati Open semi-finals, coinciding with Sabalenka’s shock defeat on a surface and an event where she has previously been dominant.
There is an opening for someone unexpected to win this upcoming US Open on the women’s side. However, given Swiatek’s form, she might actually end up being most people’s pick to claim the title in a remarkable turnaround of the narrative.