Third-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto (Dylan Buell) to advance to the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Open.
Aryna Sabalenka improved on her opening Cincinnati Masters performance by beating Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4 on an overcast Thursday, while second-seeded Alexander Zverev also advanced in the men’s tournament.
Sabalenka, the third seed who missed Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics with a shoulder injury, won six of her opening seven matches at the Midwest venue in the ATP and WTA warm-up for the U.S. Open.
With rain threatening the match after three days of summer sunshine, Sabalenka fought through on her third match point to record her 15th victory in Cincinnati.
“I’m happy with my level, even in the tough moments,” said the winner. “Elisabetta is a difficult opponent. She fought until the last point.”
Cocciaretto received treatment for a left hip problem midway through the second set and saw a trainer during the changeover to have his thigh taped up.
Zverev dodged a few raindrops late in the second set to claim his ATP-leading 50th win of the season.
After losing his first six matches at this venue, the German, who won the title here in 2021, beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round.
The 76-minute victory was a repeat of Zverev’s victory in the Tokyo Olympic final.
Khachanov made 26 unforced errors against his longtime rival and is currently trailing 5-2.
Zverev, who admitted to feeling unwell despite reaching the quarter-finals in Montreal last week, said he is now feeling much better.
“I felt good on the court. If I feel good in practice, it’s easier to carry it over to the matches,” he said. “Hopefully I can feel better. I’m happy to have won today.”
Zverev did not explain the reasons for his success in 2023, saying it was a “good year, but also some tough defeats.”
Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta beat Australia’s Max Purcell 6-3, 6-3 to become the German’s next opponent.
Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz, who made a surprising return from knee surgery in July to reach the quarterfinals in Montreal last week, beat Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 in his opening match.
The Pole fought for more than two hours, serving up 16 aces and saving 17 of 19 break points against his Japanese opponent.
He will seek a place in the quarter-finals against Italy’s Flavio Coboli, who reached the final after compatriot Luca Dardelli withdrew 7-6 (7/4), 3-1 due to apparent illness.
– Svitolina vs Sabalenka –
In the WTA draw, Elena Rybakina lost 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in her first match since Wimbledon, with fourth-seeded Canadian Leyla Fernandez saving two match points to pull off the upset.
Rybakina, who missed Paris because of acute bronchitis, suffered 17 double faults, including a match point, and 20 aces could not salvage an afternoon victory.
Elina Svitolina, who reached the semifinals here nine years ago, beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain 6-4, 6-1 to set up a meeting with Sabalenka.
Sabalenka has won her previous two matches, including a 2023 French Open quarterfinal and a three-set match in Rome three months ago.
Elina Avanesyan, a newcomer to the tennis world who recently changed nationalities, stunned eighth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko by upsetting her 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
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