CINCINNATI, Ohio — Aryna Sabalenka unleashed her big game with devastating effect on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), hammering China’s Wang Xinyu, 6-1, 6-3, to reach the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.
The world No. 1 took only 20 minutes to blow through the first set against her 36th-ranked opponent and began the second set with a break of serve.
Sabalenka kept up the pressure in the second set with Wang double-faulting on the top seed’s first match point after 54 minutes.
The victory marked the 45th in a row for Sabalenka at the Masters 1000 level.
“I cannot complain. She’s a tough opponent,” Sabalenka said. “To win in straight sets like this in under an hour is insane.
“I’m super happy to be through. I really trusted myself and went for my shots. I wasn’t over-thinking. I was able to stay focused and be in every point.”
Sabalenka next plays Czach Sara Bejlek, a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff needed to battle following a sizzling first set in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory over fellow American Ann Li.
The 2023 champion had it all her own way in the opening set against her 29th-ranked foe, winning in 30 minutes. The pair exchanged early breaks in the second on the way to a tiebreaker, in which Gauff seized a 4-1 lead and won on her third match point.
“She played better in the second set, and I missed a couple of break opportunities,” Gauff said. “I tried to forget about those.
“It was hard to control the ball for both of us, and it was my first time playing a day match on this center court, so I had to adjust to that.”
Mirra Andreeva’s French Open reigning champion status counted for little as the fifth seed struggled to close out a 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory over Janice Tjen.
The Indonesian challenger ranked 37 was bowled over in the first set but made Andreeva work to finally advance.
“In the first, I was in command, and she had unforced errors here and there, but in the second after a couple of games, I started getting nervous, she made fewer mistakes — it turned into a match of mentality and physicality,” Andreeva said.
Eighth seed Elina Svitolina was forced to withdraw before her match against Wang Xiyu with an ankle injury.
