Daijiworld Media Network - Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Aug 14: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 seed Iga Swiatek booked their places in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday (IST), delivering strong performances to continue their runs at the WTA 1000 event.
Defending champion Sabalenka breezed past Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro with a 6-1, 7-5 victory, marking her 50th win of the season. She will next face a high-stakes clash against Elena Rybakina, the former Wimbledon champion who overcame Australian Open winner Madison Keys in a hard-fought comeback: 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Swiatek advanced to her third consecutive Cincinnati quarterfinal, defeating Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3 in a 1 hour and 35 minute encounter.
The Polish star made an explosive start, breaking early with a trio of clean winners and maintaining her lead throughout the first set. The second set featured a string of service breaks, with Cirstea double-faulting twice to hand Swiatek an edge. Although Swiatek returned the favor with two double faults of her own, she managed to regain control, sealing the match with a forehand winner on her first match point.
“Sorana hits really well, especially on fast courts, so I had to stay solid,” Swiatek said after the match. “I tried to be proactive with my serve. Even though my first serve percentage wasn’t great, I felt confident on my second serves.”
Cincinnati remains one of the few WTA 1000 events where Swiatek is yet to reach the final, despite back-to-back semifinal appearances in 2022 and 2023. Last year, she fell to Sabalenka in the semis.
Next, Swiatek will face Anna Kalinskaya, who upset No. 12 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 to earn her spot in the quarterfinals.