Ninth seed Elena Rybakina delivered a commanding performance to stop Emma Raducanu’s impressive run at the US Open. She powered into the fourth round for the first time after a 6-1, 6-2 win on Friday.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion needed just 62 minutes to seal the victory. She had already beaten Raducanu in their only previous meeting two years ago, and this time she showed the same control.

“Yeah I’m really happy with the performance. It’s always not easy to play against Emma,” said the 26-year-old Rybakina. “The score doesn’t show it but she’s a tough competitor. I’m pretty happy with the way I’m playing and I’m looking forward to the next match.”

Strong Start in Both Sets

Rybakina made her intent clear from the first game. She broke Raducanu’s serve immediately with sharp returns and then held her own serve with ease. Soon, she raced ahead 3-0, consistently forcing the Briton onto the back foot.

Raducanu, who had not lost serve in her first two matches, struggled badly this time. Errors crept into her game, and she had no answers as Rybakina closed out the opening set comfortably.

Same Story in Second Set

The second set unfolded in similar fashion. Raducanu dropped her first service game with more mistakes, while Rybakina quickly consolidated. Even though Rybakina landed just 47% of her first serves, Raducanu failed to make an impact on the second serve.

The 22-year-old Briton gave the crowd some hope by saving two break points. The stadium responded with loud cheers. However, the momentum faded quickly. Rybakina controlled a long rally from the baseline and finished it with a forehand winner that Raducanu could not reach. Frustrated, Raducanu smashed her racquet after losing another service game.

Rybakina then served with precision, firing an ace to move closer. She completed the win when Raducanu sent one final shot long.

Raducanu’s Best US Open Since 2021

This loss ended Raducanu’s best campaign at Flushing Meadows since her fairytale title run as a qualifier in 2021. Despite the defeat, her performance in the early rounds gave fans hope of a strong comeback.

Rybakina, meanwhile, looks ahead. She will face either 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova or Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in the next round.

Reflecting on her progress, Rybakina said, “It’s true, in the (past few) years it’s not been easy at the U.S. Open and I was not successful. I hope this year it will change. I’m really happy now that I’m getting through and hopefully, I can go as far as possible.”