Second seed Elena Rybakina opened her US Open campaign at Flushing Meadows with a victory, putting aside recent injury concerns as she targets a potential rise to the world number one ranking. The Kazakhstani player defeated 17-year-old American Thea Frodin in oppressive humidity in New York.
Rybakina entered the tournament under a fitness cloud after retiring in the first set of her Cincinnati quarter-final match against Iga Swiatek on August 20th due to an ankle problem. Despite the short turnaround and required recovery break, the twice Grand Slam winner looked sharp on the hard courts.
“We’ll see how I’m going to feel tomorrow because I had to take a break [after her injury in Cincinnati],” Rybakina said. “But for now it feels okay.”
Chasing the World Number One Ranking at Flushing Meadows
The fortnight in New York carries significant rankings implications for the tour. Rybakina enters the final Grand Slam of the season with a mathematical path to the top of the WTA rankings. She can secure the world number one spot if she advances to at least the semi-finals.
Rybakina acknowledged the milestone while maintaining focus on her physical condition.
“I’m definitely motivated to get to world No 1, I had chances before but it didn’t go my way,” Rybakina said. “Of course it will be an amazing achievement but it’s still too far. I need to focus on my recovery and just keep going.”
Madison Keys Overcomes Nerves on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Elsewhere in the women’s draw at Flushing Meadows, American Madison Keys experienced a contrasting start to her tournament, battling past early jitters to defeat Russia’s Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The victory carried personal significance for the 2017 US Open runner-up, who suffered a shock first-round exit at her home Grand Slam a year prior, just months after capturing her first Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open. Keys admitted that lingering memories of that defeat made the opening match uniquely challenging.
“Today is obviously tough, because you go back on the court where you had a really tough loss, and to go back out and play another first round, it’s always hard,” Keys said. “To have that kind of lingering memory is tough.”
Keys struggled initially with her delivery, landing just 48 percent of her first serves in the opening set. She steadied her game significantly in the second set, raising her first-serve percentage to nearly 70 percent to stave off a late comeback from Korneeva. Keys will face either Czech player Lucie Havlickova or Hungary’s Anna Bondar in the second round.
Tournament Outlook and Next Steps
With the opening round matches concluding across the complex, attention turns to recovery days for top contenders like Rybakina. Players must navigate the sweltering late-summer conditions in New York while managing physical workloads across a grueling two-week schedule.
Rybakina’s progression through the early rounds will dictate whether she can overhaul the ranking points required to claim the number one mantle before the tournament reaches its weekend finales.
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