Cincinnati Masters: Sabalenka wins 6-2, 7-6 as Gauff advances

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff advanced at the Cincinnati Masters as temperatures climbed to 33C in humid conditions. Top seed Sabalenka defeated Talia Gibson 6-2, 7-6(2), while fourth seed Gauff recovered to beat Liudmila Samsonova 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Sabalenka completed her match in one hour and 52 minutes, but the scoreline did not reflect a straightforward contest. She failed to convert five match points before the second set went to a tiebreak, where she secured the win by taking it 7-2.

The world number one relied on aggressive shot-making to avoid a deciding set. She struck 30 winners, including 13 aces, despite the heat and wind. The conditions left her energy levels low late in the match, but she held her composure during the tiebreak to finish the contest.

Gauff’s progress required a longer recovery. Samsonova controlled the opening set, but Gauff stayed in the contest and found the breakthrough she needed in the tenth game of the second set. That levelled the match and sent it into a decider.

The 2023 champion then took control of the final set, winning its last five games to complete the comeback in just over two hours. Her victory placed another seeded player through after a match in which she had been forced to respond from behind.

Elina Svitolina also advanced after a three-set battle with Tereza Valentova. The eighth seed lost the opening set 6-3, edged the second 7-6(5), then completed the win with a 6-0 third set.