Rybakina Powers Past Bouzas Maneiro Into US Open Third Round

What happened

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Elena Rybakina advanced to the third round of the 2026 US Open with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Thursday night at Louis Armstrong Stadium. The official US Open website reported that the No. 2 seed controlled most of the contest with first-strike tennis, then steadied herself after a brief late setback to complete the win in straight sets.

Rybakina established the pattern quickly, moving ahead 3-0 in the opening set and 4-1 in the second. Her serve gave Bouzas Maneiro few openings for much of the match: the Kazakh struck seven aces and won 81 percent of the points behind her first delivery. That platform also allowed her to attack return games aggressively and keep the Spaniard under pressure.

The closing stages supplied the main complication. Serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set, Rybakina was broken for the first time in this year's tournament. Bouzas Maneiro therefore had a chance to extend the contest, but Rybakina answered immediately. With the Spaniard serving at 4-5, she struck a backhand return winner at 15-15 and then drove a forehand return at her opponent's feet on match point to secure her fourth break of the evening.

Why it matters

The result continues an imposing opening week for Rybakina, who has conceded only 11 games across her first two matches in New York. She arrived at Flushing Meadows after reaching the Toronto final and the Cincinnati quarterfinals, although a left ankle injury forced her to retire from the latter event against Iga Swiatek. Her movement and serving against Bouzas Maneiro offered encouraging evidence that the problem is no longer limiting her.

Rybakina already owns two major titles, having won Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open earlier this year. Her previous best US Open result was a fourth-round appearance last season, so one more victory would match that mark and keep her pursuit of a third Grand Slam championship moving forward.

What to watch

Rybakina will next face Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva. The Ukrainian reached the third round by saving three match points in a 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 comeback against Maria Sakkari. That escape underlines the danger of allowing her back into a contest, a relevant warning after Rybakina briefly failed to close out Bouzas Maneiro on serve.

The next round will test whether Rybakina can sustain the serving numbers that have driven her fast start while remaining clinical when opportunities arrive. If she does, her blend of power on serve and return makes her one of the draw's most difficult opponents as the tournament moves toward its second week.