Coco Gauff, seeded fourth and the defending champion from 2023, earned a place in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open with a convincing 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) victory over fellow American Ann Li. The win not only extended Gauff's unbeaten record against Li to 4-0, but it also marked their inaugural clash on a WTA hard‑court event, 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.
The 22‑year‑old American dominated the opening set, cruising to a 6-1 scoreline without dropping a single service game. Throughout the set she faced two break‑point opportunities from Li, but held firm, even as the game reached four deuces in the middle of the set. Gauff’s first‑serve efficiency was impressive, landing 68% of her initial service points and allowing her to dictate play from the baseline.
The second set unfolded with far more drama. After Li was broken in the first game, she quickly recovered and secured a break of her own, putting the pressure back on Gauff.
At 5-3, Li appeared poised to force a deciding set after earning another break, but Gauff’s resilience shone through as she reclaimed the break to level the set at 5-5. The match then proceeded to a tiebreak, where Gauff’s composure and aggressive shot‑making proved decisive.
She closed out the tiebreak 7-3, securing her sixth WTA 1000 quarter‑final appearance of the season and setting up a showdown with the winner of the Iva Jovic versus Marie Bouzkova encounter. Gauff’s performance highlighted several key strengths: a powerful first serve, an ability to stay aggressive on return games, and mental toughness in high‑pressure moments. Her seamless transition from a dominant first set to a tightly contested second set demonstrates the adaptability that will be crucial as the US Open approaches.
Meanwhile, the tournament’s top seed and world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, also moved comfortably into the round of 16. Sabalenka dispatched China’s Wang Xinyu in just 54 minutes, winning 6-1, 6-3. The swift victory marked Sabalenka’s 50th triumph at the WTA 1000 level, placing her in an elite company alongside Serena Williams (104 wins) and Iga Swiatek (58 wins) as the only players to achieve fifty or more WTA 1000 titles while holding the world No.
1 ranking. After the match, Sabalenka reflected on her performance: "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 Belarusian’s victory improved her season record to 40-7 as she fine‑tunes her game for the upcoming US Open. Sabalenka’s next challenge will be against unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek in the last‑16 round. In other news, world No. 9 Elina Svitolina was forced to withdraw from the tournament prior to her third‑round match with Wang Xiyu due to a lingering right‑ankle injury.
The injury, originally sustained in Toronto and aggravated during her second‑round match, prevented her from recovering sufficiently. As a result, Wang advances to the round of 16 via a walkover and will meet Madison Keys.
Svitolina issued a statement expressing disappointment: "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. I have 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 tournament, Svitolina had taken a medical timeout to treat her right foot during the second set of her second‑round match against Tereza Valentova. Despite the interruption, she fought back to win 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-0, showcasing her fighting spirit.
Looking ahead, Svitolina is scheduled to compete at the US Open later this month, where she hopes to regain form after her Cincinnati disappointment. The Cincinnati Open continues to provide a compelling preview of the US Open field, with both men’s and women’s tours delivering high‑quality tennis. Fans can follow live coverage of the ATP and WTA events on Sky Sports, and the US Open itself will also be broadcast live from August 30 onward.
For those without a Sky Sports subscription, the tournament can be streamed contract‑free via NOW, offering an accessible way to keep up with the action. Additional context for tennis enthusiasts includes a look ahead at the 2026 calendar and past champions, as well as daily scores and upcoming match schedules, all of which enhance the overall fan experience. The tournament’s blend of seasoned champions like Sabalenka and rising stars such as Gauff underscores the depth of talent on display as the season builds toward its climax at Flushing Meadows.