Sabalenka’s Dominant Performance
Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, secured her spot in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open with a swift victory. She defeated Wang Xinyu of China in just 54 minutes, with a score of 6-1, 6-3. Sabalenka’s performance was marked by efficiency, as she did not face a single break point during the match. She lost only six points across eight service games and recorded just five unforced errors against 17 winners, showcasing a composed display.
This win represents Sabalenka’s easiest match in recent times, following her fourth-round exit at Wimbledon and an early departure in Canada the previous week. The 28-year-old expressed satisfaction with her performance, stating she trusted herself and went for her shots without overthinking, which she considered the key to her success in the match. Sabalenka is the two-time defending champion at the US Open, which is scheduled to begin on Sunday, 30 August. No woman has won the New York title three consecutive times since Serena Williams in 2014.
Sabalenka’s position as world number one is currently under threat from Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina. Heading into Cincinnati, Sabalenka held a 354-point gap over Rybakina. For Rybakina to have a chance at surpassing Sabalenka, she must reach the final. If Sabalenka advances to the quarter-finals, Rybakina would then need to win the title to claim the world number one ranking. Sabalenka is set to face Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic in her next match for a place in the last eight.
Sabalenka’s victory over Wang Xinyu also marked her 45th career advancement to the Round of 16 or better at WTA 1000 events, surpassing Karolina Pliskova among active players. She now boasts 50 career wins at WTA 1000 events as World No. 1, a feat achieved by only two other players since the format’s introduction in 2009: Serena Williams (104) and Iga Swiatek (58).
Medvedev’s Frustration and Other Matches
In contrast to Sabalenka’s smooth progression, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev experienced a frustrating defeat. Medvedev lost his composure after failing to convert three match points against Brandon Nakashima. The Russian had initially recovered from a 5-2 deficit in the first set to win it in a tie-break. However, with three match points on Nakashima’s serve at 5-4 in the second set, he was unable to close out the match.
Nakashima saved these match points and subsequently won the tie-break, before dominating the third set to secure a 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 victory. Following the missed opportunities, Medvedev reacted by throwing his racquet at the electronic boards at the back of the court, causing a brief breakage. He also reportedly kicked a screen and knocked over several microphones, having accumulated 51 unforced errors during his performance. Nakashima commented on the match, stating he was focused on fighting for every point when facing match points and expressed happiness with his level of play in the third set.
Other notable advancements in the Cincinnati Open include Mirra Andreeva and Coco Gauff, who also reached the fourth round. Andreeva, the No. 5 seed, secured her spot by defeating No. 32 seed Janice Tjen with a score of 6-1, 7-6(5) in 1 hour and 42 minutes. Andreeva, a quarterfinalist in Cincinnati in 2024, has now achieved consecutive match wins for the first time since her Roland Garros title in June. She will next face No. 10 seed Marta Kostyuk, who leads their head-to-head record 2-1, though Andreeva won their most recent encounter in the Roland Garros semifinals.
No. 4 seed and 2023 champion Coco Gauff also advanced to the fourth round, defeating fellow American Ann Li 6-1, 7-6 (3). This marks Gauff’s 36th career WTA 1000 fourth-round appearance, including six this season. Only Sabalenka (44), Pliskova (44), Elina Svitolina (43), Swiatek (38), and Jessica Pegula (38) have more among active players competing in Cincinnati singles. Gauff is scheduled to play against Marie Bouzkova in her next match.
In earlier matches, Sabalenka had to overcome Talia Gibson, requiring six match points to secure a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) victory in just under two hours. Gibson saved five match points in the 12th game of the second set before Sabalenka closed it out in the tiebreaker. Sabalenka noted the challenging weather conditions and praised Gibson’s aggressive play in the second set, expressing satisfaction at staying calm. She won Cincinnati in 2024 and is aiming for a strong run to prepare for the US Open.
Elena Rybakina, the world number two, also advanced, defeating Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-4. Rybakina, who was a runner-up to Iga Swiatek in Toronto, expressed contentment with her serve and a low-stress start in Cincinnati after a demanding run in Toronto. Mirra Andreeva delivered a dominant performance against Oleksandra Oliynykova, winning 6-1, 6-0, breaking serve five times and saving all seven break points she faced. Seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, secured a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Emiliana Arango of Colombia. In the men’s draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5, while Daniil Medvedev opened his campaign with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Marco Trungelliti.
Source: bbc.com
