Rybakina upsets Sabalenka while Alcaraz advances at Cincinnati Open
Elena Rybakina delivered a commanding performance to reach her maiden Cincinnati Open semifinal, defeating defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-1 6-4 on Friday in a stunning upset that highlighted the day's action at the prestigious Masters 1000 tournament.
The Kazakh ninth seed showcased exceptional serving prowess throughout the encounter, firing 11 aces and winning an impressive 81% of points on her first serve. Rybakina's defensive resilience proved equally crucial as she saved all five break points she faced against the world's top-ranked player, securing her fifth victory over the Belarusian in their 12 career meetings.
"I'm happy with the serve. It was the key," former world number three Rybakina said. "We're both big hitters. Today I served really well. If Aryna serves well, it's completely different. Hopefully I continue like this."
This victory represents Rybakina's seventh career triumph over a top-ranked opponent and sets up an intriguing semifinal clash with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, creating a compelling matchup between two Wimbledon champions.
Swiatek secured her place in the semifinals earlier in the day, reaching her first WTA 1000 semifinal in 15 months with a hard-fought 6-3 6-4 victory over Russian 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya. The Polish third seed had to overcome a determined opponent who had previously defeated her in their only prior encounter and managed to save four match points before Swiatek converted her fifth opportunity.
"I just played my game," Swiatek said. "For sure, it wasn't easy. Just happy I was solid and had the intensity to apply pressure."
The other women's semifinal will feature an all-European affair between Russian Veronika Kudermetova and Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini. Kudermetova demonstrated her return to form with a dominant 6-1 6-2 victory over compatriot Varvara Gracheva, earning her first WTA 1000 semifinal appearance since 2023 and suggesting she's rediscovering the level that once carried her into the top ten rankings.
Paolini's path to the semifinals proved more challenging as she mounted an impressive comeback against twice Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff, recovering from a set down to prevail 2-6 6-4 6-3. The French Open and Wimbledon runner-up showed tremendous fighting spirit to overcome the American on home soil.
"I tried to fight every point and it worked. I'm really happy. Thank you for cheering for me ... because we are in the States ... Coco is from here," Paolini said.
In the men's competition, Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz survived a significant test from Russian ninth seed Andrey Rublev, prevailing 6-3 4-6 7-5 in a match that showcased both his vulnerabilities and mental fortitude. The 22-year-old Spanish star struggled with consistency in the deciding set, committing 15 unforced errors and three double faults, but demonstrated his championship mentality by capitalizing on his sole match point when Rublev double-faulted at the crucial moment.
"Playing someone like Andrey, when you lose focus on two or three points, it can cost you the set or the match. I just stayed strong mentally and that's what I'm most proud of," Alcaraz said. "It's just accepting the moment, accepting that I am playing a third set, that it's going to be a really tough battle, and I love that."
This victory extended Alcaraz's remarkable recent form, improving his record to 37 wins in his last 39 matches while advancing to his 12th Masters 1000 semifinal. This achievement matches the tally of world number one Jannik Sinner, who will face French qualifier Terence Atmane in the other semifinal.
Alcaraz's semifinal opponent will be third seed Alexander Zverev, who delivered a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 victory over Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton. The German former Cincinnati champion felt physically strong early in the match but encountered health concerns as the encounter progressed.
"I came out today and probably felt the best I've felt in a few months. Was feeling the ball incredibly well from both sides," Zverev, who won the Cincinnati title in 2021, said. "In the first set I started feeling not so great and it got progressively worse. But I'm in the semi-finals and I'll do everything I can to be 100% tomorrow."
SportsLigue