World number one Aryna Sabalenka stormed into the Cincinnati Open fourth round in just 54 minutes, while Daniil Medvedev suffered a surprise defeat after wasting three match points against Brandon Nakashima.
Sabalenka produced a dominant display against China’s Wang Xinyu, winning 6-1 6-3 without facing a single break point.
The Belarusian dropped just six points across eight service games and produced 17 winners against only five unforced errors in a highly controlled performance.
Sabalenka powers into fourth round
The victory was Sabalenka’s most straightforward win for some time following her fourth-round exit at Wimbledon and an early defeat in Canada last week.
“To get this win in under an hour [is] an insane result and I’m so happy to be through,” the 28-year-old said.
She added that trusting herself and attacking her shots without overthinking had been the key to her performance.
“That was the weapon of tonight’s match,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka will next face Czech player Sara Bejlek for a place in the Cincinnati quarter-finals.
The tournament is also important for Sabalenka’s preparations for the US Open, which begins on 30 August. She is the two-time defending champion in New York and is attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win the US Open three consecutive times.
World number one ranking under threat Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka’s position at the top of the women’s rankings is also under pressure from Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka entered Cincinnati with a 354-point advantage over Rybakina.
Rybakina must reach the Cincinnati final to have a chance of moving above Sabalenka. If Sabalenka reaches the quarter-finals, Rybakina would need to win the tournament to take the number one ranking.
The Belarusian will therefore be looking to continue her run as she builds momentum ahead of her US Open title defence.
Medvedev misses three match points Aryna Sabalenka
Earlier, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev suffered a dramatic defeat against American Brandon Nakashima after letting a winning position slip away.
Medvedev recovered from 5-2 down in the opening set and eventually won it on a tie-break.
The Russian then appeared to be on the verge of victory in the second set when he had three match points while Nakashima was serving at 5-4.
Nakashima saved all three opportunities before taking the second-set tie-break 7-4.
The American then dominated the deciding set, winning it 6-1 to complete a 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 victory.
Medvedev’s frustration boiled over after the missed match points. He threw his racquet towards the electronic advertising boards, briefly damaging one of them.
He subsequently kicked the screen and knocked over several microphones as his difficult night continued.
The Russian finished the match with 51 unforced errors.
Nakashima completes comeback Aryna Sabalenka
Nakashima remained composed despite being on the brink of defeat in the second set.
“Down match points, I was just trying to tell myself to keep fighting for every point,” he said.
“I’m super happy with the level in the third.”
The contrasting results leave Sabalenka progressing confidently in Cincinnati while Medvedev exits the tournament after one of the most dramatic matches of the round.
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Image: Aryna Sabalenka competing at the Cincinnati Open.
Image Alt Attribute: Aryna Sabalenka celebrates during her Cincinnati Open fourth-round victory
Suggested Video: Highlights from Aryna Sabalenka’s Cincinnati Open victory and Brandon Nakashima’s comeback against Daniil Medvedev.