By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 29, 2025Photo credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty
NEW YORK—Main champions met in a march to the US Open fourth spherical.
Emma Raducanu took a giant step up at school as we speak—and bought stepped on.
A pointy Elena Rybakina didn’t face a break level, stomping Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 to streak into the US Open fourth spherical for the primary time in seven Flushing Meadows appearances.
The WTA ace chief was almost untouchable on first serve, sweeping Raducanu for the second time after her 6-0,, 6-1 thrashing on the 2022 Sydney match.
Although she served simply 47 p.c, Rybakina received 18 of 21 first serve factors and arrange forceful first strikes with that buzzing serve.
The 2022 Wimbledon hit heavier, performed nearer to the strains and almost triple Raducanu’s winner output—23 to eight—in a medical conquest that spanned simply 62 minutes.
“As we speak was good efficiency for me. All the time not simple to play towards Emma,” Rybakina stated. “Even generally rating doesn’t present, however I do know that towards her I have to play very aggressive and likewise tryto play deep. So as we speak I feel I did fairly effectively, so glad.”
Elena Rybakina is within the zone. pic.twitter.com/qXmjpzan5A
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2025
The tempo and depth of Rybakina’s drives left Raducanu feeling overwhelmed at occasions.
“To be sincere, I feel when these high gamers are taking part in very well, it’s troublesome. I feel everytime I’ve performed Iga and Elena, they’ve performed unbelievable,” Raducanu stated. “So I feel that’s troublesome for positive to play towards.
“I feel if you’re taking part in Elena, she has an important serve, in fact. Second serve coming in fast and excessive as effectively. Return comes again quicker. Such as you’ve barely landed out of your serve, and it’s again on the baseline.
“Then, yeah, the ball simply comes by means of actually, actually quick, and you’re feeling such as you simply don’t actually have any time, , to create something, so it’s simply fixed stress.”
Rybakina improved to 42-16 on the season—she’s third on the WTA Tour for many match wins in 2025—and can face 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in a battle of Wimbledon winners.
The left-handed Vondrousova didn’t drop serve topping two-time main finalist Jasmine Paolini 7-6(4), 6-1 in a robust efficiency on Grandstand Courtroom.
“Marketa, she’s lefty, so it’s slightly bit completely different adaptation, like, for the match,” Rybakina stated.
The US Open is the one main match the place Rybakina has but to succeed in no less than the quarterfinals, however she was in tune from the primary ball on Louis Armstrong Stadium as we speak.
Belting a diagonal forehand winner, Rybakina broke for 2-0—the primary time Raducanu had dropped serve within the match—then backed up the break for 3-0.
Usually, Rybakina is extra snug altering path off her vaunted two-handed backhand.
As we speak, she was firing the forehand in addition to we’ve seen on this summer time hard-court season. 13 of Rybakina’s 23 winners got here off the forehand.
The ninth seed was shredding Raducanu in crosscourt forehand exchanges early then, when the world No. 36 began leaning proper, Rybakina pounded the within out forehand.
Holding a 3-1 lead, Rybakina ripped by means of 5 video games in a row constructing a 6-1, 2-0 lead.
In that opening set, Rybakina smacked 11 winners in comparison with one for Raducanu.
The 2021 US Open champion beat a pair of qualifiers—Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen—with out dropping a set to succeed in the third spherical for the primary time since she made historical past as the primary qualifier, man or girl, to win a Grand Slam singles title in Flushing Meadows.
As we speak, Raducanu most likely ought to have tried to vary the form of her photographs—play larger topspin or combine the low slice a bit extra to make the 6’ energy participant bend—however credit score Rybakina for hitting so exhausting and deep she gave her opponent little time or area to create.
Reinstated coach Stefano Vukov was a chatty presence within the teaching field, urging Rybakina on and providing tactical recommendation. The 26-year-old Kazakh was in such a commanding state, she didn’t want it.
Did Elena Rybakina simply decide to go skydiving if she wins the US Open? 🪂
That is what we heard anyway 😉 pic.twitter.com/4vMsr3ithK
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2025
Crunching a crosscourt backhand, Rybakina broke for a 5-2 second set lead.
At that time, the British author sitting subsequent to me commented to his colleague “no less than we’ve nonetheless bought Cam Norrie.”
Rybakina slammed her third ace for match level and sealed a lopsided win on a missed return.
.jpg "Discussions underway for possible Herta move to F2 in 2026")
