Rybakina continues to cruise through US Open as she eyes world No. 1

[p]The hard-hitting Kazakh, who claimed her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, fell to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/starodubtsewa-yulia/GlqMuuhi/"]Starodubtseva[/a] in the second round at Roland Garros, a defeat that may have been on her mind as she struggled to find her rhythm in the opening set.[/p][p]Starodubtseva took full advantage of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Rybakina[/a]'s struggles with her forehand and broke for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/starodubtsewa-y-GlqMuuhi/?mid=OW7cbvyJ"]5-4[/a] lead.[/p][image alt="Rybakina-Starodubtseva matchup stats" id="0c7b453e-bc5f-4d9f-86ec-bedb09e4c993" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="7faeed0f-6da2-48f3-a6ff-1fd4ef557017" original-width="2160" original-height="3840" /][p]But Rybakina steadied, breaking back with an angled drop shot to level the set.[/p][p]She saved a set point in the tiebreaker with one of her 12 aces, and with the first set in hand, attacked in the second with confidence.[/p][p]A double fault from Starodubtseva handed Rybakina a break to open the second, and Rybakina maintained the edge to finish the job in just under two hours.[/p][embed guid="dbd19e1d-159b-4c42-a534-a9521f9b9e63" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuOWr6bGtCE&pp=ygUIUnliYWtpbmE%3D" social-type="youtube" /][p][b]"It was a tough match,"[/b] Rybakina said. [b]"I feel like it wasn't my best performance, but Yuliia, she's a great player. Last time we had a battle, too, and I'm glad I could win in straight sets."[/b][/p][p]Rybakina now just needs two wins - to reach the semi-finals - to be assured of supplanting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] atop the world rankings - even if Sabalenka wins a third straight US Open title.[/p][p][b]"Not there yet,"[/b] she said[b]. "It's still very far. I need to focus on my next match and not think about it."[/b][/p][p]That next match will be against four-time Grand Slam champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osaka-naomi/MDM4BKiA/"]Naomi Osaka[/a], who beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mertens-elise/Y1ZrrUtl/"]Elise Mertens[/a] of Belgium [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/mertens-e-Y1ZrrUtl/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/?mid=hUGKJDYh"]6-3, 3-6, 7-5[/a].[/p][embed guid="705689d2-2bb2-41ee-a9d8-aceb2e5310dc" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBnOqOuIcQg" social-type="youtube" /][infobox id="3dc51b3a-107f-482b-9173-a97d347ef1b3" /]