08/16/26 04:24:00
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08/16 16:23 CDT Fresh off Toronto title, Iga Swiatek wins first match at
Cincinnati Open
Fresh off Toronto title, Iga Swiatek wins first match at Cincinnati Open
By JEFF WALLNER
Associated Press
MASON, Ohio (AP) --- Iga Swiatek overcame a short turnaround after winning in
Toronto on Thursday to beat Colombian Emiliana Arango, 6-3, 6-0, on center
court at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday.
It was the seventh consecutive win for Swiatek, who won the title in Cincinnati
last year.
"It's not like I was super tired after Toronto," Swiatek said on Sunday two
days after arriving. "I knew I just needed a little bit of rest. Usually one
day before a tournament, I'm already in my match mode. But this time, I wanted
to spend every hour possible just chilling."
Also on Sunday, Aryna Sabalenka, who has spent 95 consecutive weeks at No. 1
dating to Oct. 21, 2024, got past Australian Talia Gibson, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Sabalenka improved to 15-3 in Cincinnati since 2022.
Coming off her loss to Swiatek in the finals in Toronto, No. 2-ranked Elena
Rybakina beat American Taylor Townsend, 6-3, 6-4.
Rybakina, who reached the semifinals last year in Cincinnati, is looking for
her 14th hard-court title in Cincinnati after winning the Australian Open in
January.
Tenth-ranked Taylor Fritz beat fellow American Alex Michelsen, 6-3, 6-4, in the
men's tournament.
World No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime took down Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight
sets, 6-3, 7-5.
It was Auger-Aliassime's first hard court match since March after he pulled out
of Montreal due to a lower back injury. It was the 11th meeting with Tsitipas
leading 7-4.
American Madison Keys outlasted Daria Snigur, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Sixth-ranked Mirra Andreeva dispatched of Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, 6-1,
6-0, for her 40th win of 2026.
Daniil Medvedev got past qualifier Marco Trungelliti, 6-4, 7-5.
Brazilian Joao Fonseca, 19, became the third teenager to reach the third round
in Cincinnati, joining Michael Chang in 1990 and Pete Sampras in 1991. Fonseca
defeated Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
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See AP's full tennis coverage here
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