Sabalenka Advances to Quarter-Finals in Cincinnati

Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked player, secured her spot in the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a decisive 6-1, 7-5 victory over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro at the P&G Center Court on Wednesday.

This win marks Sabalenka’s 50th victory on the WTA Tour in the current year. The Belarusian athlete demonstrated dominance in the initial set, quickly establishing a significant lead before securing the set victory.

Maneiro elevated her gameplay in the subsequent set, showcasing impressive skills to challenge the defending champion.

However, Sabalenka maintained her composure, clinching the closely contested set by a narrow margin to ensure a straight-sets triumph.

Following her demanding third-round match against Emma Raducanu, Sabalenka encountered less opposition on this occasion. Reflecting on her performance, she acknowledged some errors but expressed satisfaction with the final result.

“I gained a break, committed a couple of errors, and she broke back,” Sabalenka stated. “I’m pleased to secure the win in straight sets. I was hoping to avoid a three-hour match.”

She also commented on the difficult climate conditions.

“It was undoubtedly a solid match. The conditions weren’t ideal – highly humid – so I’m happy I didn’t allow it to negatively affect my game.”

Earlier in the competition, Sabalenka defeated Raducanu as part of her title defense.

Her next opponent will be ninth seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion hailing from Kazakhstan, who recovered from a set deficit to overcome Australian Open victor Madison Keys with a score of 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2.