Cincinnati Open sees Sabalenka advance, Medvedev’s frustration
Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open with a swift victory, while Daniil Medvedev experienced a frustrating defeat after holding multiple match points. Sabalenka’s performance was marked by efficiency, completing her match in under an hour, a contrast to Medvedev’s match where his emotions became evident.
Sabalenka, the world number one, defeated Wang Xinyu of China in just 54 minutes. She did not face a single break point during her 6-1 6-3 win. Her composed play included losing only six points across eight service games and committing only five unforced errors against 17 winners. This victory marks one of Sabalenka’s most straightforward wins recently, following her exit from Wimbledon in the fourth round and an early loss in Canada the previous week.
The 28-year-old player expressed satisfaction with her performance, stating that achieving the win in under an hour was an “insane result” and that she was pleased to advance. She attributed her success to trusting herself and going for her shots without overthinking, identifying this as the “weapon of tonight’s match.”
Sabalenka’s current position as world number one is under threat from Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina. Heading into the Cincinnati Open, Sabalenka held a 354-point lead over Rybakina. For Rybakina to have a chance at surpassing Sabalenka, she must reach the final of the tournament. 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 play against Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic for a spot in the last eight.
This win also means Sabalenka has now reached the Round of 16 or better at 45 WTA 1000 events in her career, surpassing Karolina Pliskova among active players. She also holds 50 career wins at WTA 1000 events as World No. 1, joining Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek as the only players to achieve this since the format’s introduction in 2009.
Medvedev’s Frustration
In contrast to Sabalenka’s smooth progression, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev experienced a challenging match, ultimately losing to Brandon Nakashima. Medvedev had initially recovered from a 5-2 deficit in the first set to win it in a tie-break. He then had three match points on Nakashima’s serve at 5-4 in the second set.
However, Nakashima successfully saved these match points and went on to win a subsequent tie-break, eventually dominating the third set to secure a 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 victory. Medvedev’s frustration became apparent after missing the match points, as he reportedly hurled his racquet at the electronic boards at the back of the court, causing brief damage. He also reportedly kicked the screen and knocked over several microphones, having committed 51 unforced errors during the match.
Nakashima commented on the match, stating that when facing match points, he was focused on fighting for every point. He expressed happiness with his performance in the third set.
Other Matches at Cincinnati Open
Other players also advanced to the fourth round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open. Mirra Andreeva, the fifth seed, secured her spot by defeating Janice Tjen, the 32nd seed, in a match lasting 1 hour and 42 minutes with a score of 6-1, 7-6(5). Andreeva converted her fourth match point to win. This marks Andreeva’s first consecutive match wins since her Roland Garros title in June.
Andreeva, who was a quarterfinalist in Cincinnati in 2024, will next face Marta Kostyuk, the tenth seed. This will be their fourth encounter this year, with Kostyuk leading their head-to-head 2-1, though Andreeva won their most recent match in the Roland Garros semifinals.
Additionally, fourth seed and 2023 champion Coco Gauff also progressed to the fourth round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open. Gauff achieved a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory over fellow American Ann Li. This win places Gauff in her 36th career WTA 1000 fourth round, including six this season. She is set to play against Marie Bouzkova, who defeated Iva Jovic.
The US Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday, 30 August.
Source: bbc.com
Priya Menon 