Coco Gauff, seeded fourth and defending champion from the 2023 edition of the Cincinnati Open, booked her place in the tournament's fourth round with a commanding 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) victory over fellow American Ann Li. The win not only extended Gauff's flawless 4-0 head‑to‑head record against Li but also marked their inaugural meeting on a WTA hard‑court, as both players sharpen their games ahead of the US Open, which kicks off on August 30 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
At just 22 years old, Gauff now awaits the outcome of the clash between Iva Jovic and Marie Bouzkova to determine her next opponent in the quarter‑finals. The first set lasted a mere 29 minutes and was a showcase of Gauff's dominance; she held serve throughout, fended off two break‑point chances for Li, and navigated four deuces in the middle of the set. Overall, Gauff won 68% of her first‑serve points, underscoring her aggressive yet precise service game.
The second set unfolded with a different rhythm. Although Li managed to break Gauff's serve in the opening game, she quickly responded by securing a break of her own. By the time the score reached 5-3 in Li's favor, it appeared she might force a deciding set. However, Gauff regained composure, broke back, and ultimately forced a tiebreak.
In the breaker, Gauff's consistency shone through, allowing her to cruise to the win and claim her sixth WTA 1000 fourth‑round appearance of the season. Meanwhile, top seed and world number one Aryna Sabalenka delivered a swift and efficient performance against China's Wang Xinyu, dispatching the opponent in just 54 minutes with a 6-1, 6-3 scoreline. The victory marked Sabalenka's 50th triumph at the WTA 1000 level, placing her in an elite company that includes Serena Williams (104 wins) and Iga Swiatek (58 wins) as the only players to amass 50 or more titles at this tier while holding the No. 1 ranking.
After the match, Sabalenka expressed satisfaction with her display: "I cannot complain. She's a tough opponent and to get this win in straight sets and under an hour, it's an insane result. I'm super happy to be through.
I think I really trusted myself. I was just going from my shots without overthinking and I think that was the weapon of tonight's match.
I'm super happy I was able to stay focused and to be in every point." The 29‑year‑old, who is the reigning Cincinnati champion, improved her season record to 40‑7 as she fine‑tunes her game for the upcoming US Open. Her next challenge will be against unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek in the round of 16. The tournament also saw a notable withdrawal: world number nine Elina Svitolina pulled out of her third‑round match against Wang Xiyu due to a right‑ankle injury sustained in Toronto and aggravated during her second‑round encounter.
As a result, China's Wang advanced to the last 16 via walkover and will meet Madison Keys. Svitolina issued a statement explaining her decision: "Unfortunately I tried my best to recover, but the injury I sustained in Toronto and also pushed by the second round match, I didn't recover as I wish I could to get ready for my next round.
Have of course great memories of playing here and going deep in the tournament. Had a great match here two nights ago. Very sad to pull out this round." Earlier in the week, Svitolina had taken a medical timeout to tend to her right foot during the second set of her second‑round win over Tereza Valentova, eventually prevailing 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-0.
She remains slated to compete at the US Open later this month. For tennis fans, Sky Sports continues to provide live coverage of both the ATP and WTA tours, with the US Open also available on the network from August 30.
Viewers can also stream matches without a contract through the NOW platform, ensuring flexible access to the sport's biggest events. Overall, the Cincinnati Open has delivered a blend of dominant performances, surprising upsets, and injury‑related withdrawals, setting the stage for an exciting final stretch as players gear up for the season‑ending Grand Slam in New York.