Elena Rybakina moved one step closer to a potential world No. 1 ranking Thursday, beating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-4 in the second round of the 2026 US Open.
Elena Rybakina Withstands Wobble to beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
The No. 2 seed controlled the match from the opening game, racing through the first set in under 30 minutes. She carried that momentum into the second, building a 5-3 lead before Bouzas Maneiro broke to pull within a game.
It was the first service game Rybakina had dropped in Queens. But she quickly recovered, breaking right back to close it out.
Rybakina Says She's Confident Ahead of 2026 US Open 3rd Round
After the match, Rybakina said she was "very proud" of her level through two rounds despite limited preparation coming in.
The 2026 Australian Open and 2022 Wimbledon champion entered New York with questions about her fitness after a quarterfinal injury retirement in Cincinnati. So far, she's answered them. Three more wins would push her ahead of Aryna Sabalenka in the WTA rankings.
First, though, she'll face a familiar test. Yuliia Starodubtseva, the Ukrainian who upset her in the second round at Roland Garros earlier this year, awaits in the third round.
