Sabalenka wins epic third-round clash against Raducanu in Cincinnati

World number one Aryna Sabalenka edged past Britain’s Emma Raducanu in a nail-biting third-round battle at the Cincinnati Open, surviving over three hours of relentless tennis to keep her title defence on track.

Sabalenka showcased her mental toughness in two tense tiebreaks, sealing a 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) victory in Monday’s marathon encounter. The win, lasting three hours and nine minutes, came after yet another memorable clash between the pair following their Wimbledon meeting last month.

The match featured a gripping 13-deuce game in the deciding set before the Belarusian powered through, relying on her trademark serve to clinch the key moments. Sabalenka’s two tiebreak wins pushed her season total to 18 — the highest by any women’s singles player in the professional era.

Despite the loss, Raducanu delivered one of her strongest performances of the season, outscoring Sabalenka 125–123 in total points. The 2021 US Open champion appears to be peaking ahead of her return to Flushing Meadows later this month.

“I’m really happy to see her healthy. I can see she’s improving,” Sabalenka said of Raducanu. “Happy to get through this match. I really hope tomorrow I have a day off.”

Sabalenka will now meet Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the last 16.

Other Key Results from Cincinnati

Elsewhere in the tournament, Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya delivered another upset, defeating American fifth seed Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-4. It marked her third win of the season over a Top 10 opponent, setting up a next-round clash with fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

After a one-hour power outage delay, fourth seed Taylor Fritz secured a 7-6(4), 7-5 victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. The American star did not face a single break point and capitalised on his only break opportunity to close the match in just over two hours.

Former champion Madison Keys also advanced, cruising past Japan’s Aoi Ito 6-4, 6-0. Keys overcame a mid-first-set lapse before racing through the second in just 20 minutes.

“In the first set I got off to a pretty good lead and then kind of lost my way a bit,” said Keys, the sixth seed. “Once I got a break early in the second, I wanted to run away with it and keep that momentum — and I did.”

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