The Cincinnati Open was rocked by a series of major upsets during the Round of 64, as ten seeded players were eliminated from the tournament on a dramatic day of action.
Among the most significant casualties on the men’s side were No. 8 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, who fell to France’s Benjamin Bonzi 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(4), and No. 11 seed Casper Ruud, who was defeated by another Frenchman, Arthur Rinderknech, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2. The WTA draw also saw its share of surprises, with American wild card Taylor Townsend ousting No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova in a convincing 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Despite the widespread upsets, the tournament’s top players demonstrated their championship form. Defending champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner delivered a commanding performance, dispatching Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in just 59 minutes. “The ball is flying, the ball is fast. You have to serve very precise… I’m very happy to be back here,” Sinner said of the conditions in Cincinnati.
On the women’s side, WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka overcame a challenging first set to defeat Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1, setting up a next-round clash with Emma Raducanu. World No. 3 and reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek also advanced, securing a 6-1, 6-4 win over Anastasia Potapova. “First match of the tournament is always tricky and I’m happy that I’m gonna have a chance to play another one,” Swiatek commented.
American players had a successful day, led by No. 6 seed Madison Keys, who mounted a thrilling comeback to defeat Eva Lys. After dropping the first set 6-1, Keys saved two match points in the third before clinching the victory 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(1). Taylor Fritz, the American No. 4 seed, secured a solid 6-4, 6-4 win over Emilio Nava, while No. 14 seed Frances Tiafoe beat Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-3. However, the hometown run for Mason native Peyton Stearns ended in a hard-fought 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1 loss to Anna Kalinskaya.
The action continues with a star-studded lineup for the second round. American Coco Gauff is scheduled to face China’s Wang Xinyu, while ATP No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will play his first match since the Wimbledon final, taking on Damir Džumhur. Other key matchups include Ohio native Caty McNally against McCartney Kessler and evening session matches featuring Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton.
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