CINCINNATI : World number one Aryna Sabalenka survived a stern test from Australia’s Talia Gibson on Sunday, winning 6-2 7-6(7) to reach the third round of the Cincinnati Open.
Sabalenka needed six match points to close out the contest, with Gibson saving five in the 12th game of the second set before the Belarusian finally sealed victory with a winner after just under two hours on a windswept Grandstand Court.
“I’m super tired, this is crazy weather,” Sabalenka said. “Talia played great tennis and was more aggressive in the second set.
“She put more pressure on my service games. I’m glad I stayed calm and pulled it out in straight sets.”
The 2024 Cincinnati champion is seeking a strong build-up to the U.S. Open, where she will chase her first Grand Slam title of the season. Sabalenka has won three titles in 2026 but none since Miami in March.
She joined Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina and French Open winner Mirra Andreeva in advancing to the third round.
Second seed Rybakina, fresh from a runner-up finish to Iga Swiatek in Toronto, beat Taylor Townsend 6-3 6-4.
“Today I’m happy with the serve. Definitely it helped me a lot. Last week in Toronto was very difficult. A lot of three-set matches,” Rybakina said.
Seventh seed Swiatek, the defending champion who won her first title of the season in Toronto last week, beat Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-3 6-0. The Pole recovered from an early break to complete the win in 71 minutes.
Andreeva produced an even more emphatic display, crushing Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1 6-0 in 65 minutes after breaking five times and saving all seven break points she faced.
Auger-Aliassime returns with win
In the men’s draw, second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime began his U.S. Open preparations with a 6-3 7-5 victory over 2022 Cincinnati finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Canadian was playing his first match since losing a five-set Wimbledon quarter-final to Novak Djokovic nearly six weeks ago. He had withdrawn from the Montreal Masters earlier this month with back pain.
Tsitsipas was broken three times in the second set, with Auger-Aliassime sealing victory with his seventh ace.
“It was a tricky ending, but luckily I was able to get the break back,” Auger-Aliassime said. “For someone who hasn’t played since Wimbledon, it’s been tough health-wise. But I’m happy to be back with a win like this.”
Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev opened his campaign with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti, earning his 100th Masters 1000 win after recovering from 2-5 down in the second set.
Sixth-seeded American Taylor Fritz beat compatriot Alex Michelsen 6-3 6-4, while Toronto finalist Brandon Nakashima defeated fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-2 7-5.
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca beat Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4 7-6(7) to advance.
