Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka picked up their deficiency defense for smooth starts too smoothly when they opened on Saturday in the third round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati.
The top seeds of men and women, who arranged each number one in the world, both competed for the first time since Wimbledon-where Sinner lifted the title and while Sabalenka bowed in the semi-final of the women.
Sinner crushed the Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in steaming afternoon weather, while Sabalenka 2023 Wimbledon Champion Marketa Vondrousova defeated 7-5, 6-1 under the lights of the night session.
Sabalenka needed 54 minutes and a service break in the last game to achieve the opening set with a stabbing winner.
The second set was more a routine than the score suggested when she saved five breaking points for a 4-1 lead and recovered from 0-30 in the last game before she won the victory.
“It’s always a heavy match against her,” Sabalenka said about the Czech opponent that she has confronted nine times.
“She pushed me to the limit. If you even lose the focus a little bit, it can cost you a set. I had to fight for every point,” added Sabalenka, which then stands in the British Emma Raducanu, a 6-3, 6-2 winner above Olga Danilovic.
In the meantime, the sinner surpassed the Galan of Colombia with 17 winners and only four casual mistakes.
Sinner won the first five games in 15 minutes when he allowed his 144th -arranged opponent, who came to the qualification, small breathing space.
The victory in 59 minutes was the fastest of Sinner’s ATP career and beat his previous fastest in one minute.
Sinner claimed his 22nd consecutive victory over Hardcourt and lost the final of De Beijing in September for the last time to rival Carlos Alcaraz.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Sinner said about his return to tournament campaign. “I am happy because it is not easy to play here.
“The ball flies and you have to serve very accurately if you want to go far into the tournament.
“Today I found my spots, but there is still a small space to improve. For a first game it could not have been better.”
After he broke up the first set, the sinner broke to start the second before Galan took out a hold in a seven -minute game in which he fought five breaking points.
But it was just a temporary delay. Sinner shot three aces to hold for 3-1 while he roared away again for the victory.
Lorenz Musetti and 11th placed Casper Ruud Bogen for French opponents elsewhere.
Benjamin Bonzi defeated Musetti 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) while Artur Rinder Knech Ruud 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2 defeated the full of Ruud’s 34 casual mistakes.
Rinder Knech was happy with his success so far on his debut in Cincinnati. “I remained aggressive during the competition,” he said. “You can’t let Casper dictate.”
Seventh seed Holger Rune won his opener 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) about the Russian Roman Safiullin and then plays American Alex Michelsen, who defeated Corentin Moutet of France 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Swiatek loses through
In the action of other women, reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiateek achieved an efficient opening victory on Anastasia Potapova with 6-1, 6-4.
Swiatek van Polen has reached the last four in the last two editions, but Cincinnati remains one of the two 1000-level tournaments-entertainment with Canada where she has never played a final.
The third seed went to the third round in just 74 minutes, which saved four of the five breaking points that confronted them.
“I wanted to play solid – but also intensely,” said Swiateek. “It was up and down in the second set. But at the important moments I got my level to close the victory.”
The Australian Open winner Madison Keys needed more than two hours to continue with a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) about German Eva Lys, which saved two match points at 5-6 in the decisive set.
Published – August 10, 2025 07:09 is ON
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