Aryna Sabalenka unleashed her big game with devastating effect on Tuesday, hammering China’s Wang Xinyu 6-1, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.
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 tie-breaker, in which Gauff seized a 4-1 lead and won on her third match point.
“I cannot complain. “To win in straight sets like this in under an hour is insane. “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. Eighth seed Elina Svitolina was forced to withdraw before her match against Wang Xiyu with an ankle injury.
Sabalenka kept up the pressure in the second set with Wang double-faulting on the top seed’s first match point after 54 minutes.
She’s a tough opponent,” Sabalenka said. “She played better in the second set and I missed a couple of break opportunities,” Gauff said. “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.
