Top seeds Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka made a strong start to their title defenses at the Cincinnati Open, cruising into the third round with dominant performances on Saturday.
Playing their first matches since Wimbledon, world No.1 Sinner dismantled Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in just 59 minutes — the fastest win of his ATP career. Sabalenka, meanwhile, defeated 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1 under the lights.
Sinner’s Hardcourt Dominance Continues
Sinner raced through the opening set, winning the first five games in just 15 minutes. The Italian hit 17 winners to only four unforced errors, extending his unbeaten streak on hard courts to 22 matches.
“I’m happy because it’s not easy to play here. The ball is flying and you have to be precise with your serve,” Sinner said. “For a first match, it couldn’t have gone better.”
Sabalenka Overcomes Tough Start
Sabalenka needed 54 minutes to take the first set, sealing it with a stinging winner in the final game. She saved five break points early in the second before closing out the match against Vondrousova, improving her head-to-head record to 7-2 against the Czech.
“She pushed me to the limit. I had to fight for every point,” Sabalenka said. She will next face Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who beat Olga Danilovic 6-3, 6-2.
Other Results
- Iga Swiatek eased past Anastasia Potapova 6-1, 6-4, saving four of five break points.
- Madison Keys survived a scare against Eva Lys, coming back from a set down and saving two match points to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1).
- France’s Benjamin Bonzi upset eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
- Artur Rinderknech stunned 11th seed Casper Ruud 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2.
- Seventh seed Holger Rune advanced past Roman Safiullin 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) and will face American Alex Michelsen next.
Both Sinner and Sabalenka look in prime form as they aim to defend their crowns in Cincinnati and build momentum ahead of the US Open.
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