Swiatek, Sinner advance in rain-hit Cincinnati Open

Straits Times

3 days ago

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Aug 13, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Iga Swiatek (POL) reacts after returning a shot against Sorana Cirstea (ROU) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Third seed Iga Swiatek reached the Cincinnati quarter-finals with a 6-4 6-4 win over Sorana Cirstea on Wednesday, while defending champion Jannik Sinner beat Adrian Mannarino following a lengthy rain delay.
Wimbledon champion Swiatek extended her perfect record against Cirstea to 5-0 and will next face the winner of an all-Russian clash between Anna Kalinskaya and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
"We played many tough matches, so I know Sorana can really hit the ball well, especially on faster surfaces," Poland's Swiatek said.
"I'm happy I was solid enough. I was trying to be proactive with my serve, not many of my first serves went in, but I was happy I was solid on my second serves."
Fellow Pole Magda Linette upset fourth seed Jessica Pegula 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3 in a third-round match that extended over two days after Tuesday's suspension due to rain.
The American had levelled the match at a set apiece, but on Wednesday's resumption Linette earned the break before closing it out on serve for her second Top-10 win of the season.
In the men's draw, top seed Sinner kept his title defence on track, beating French qualifier Mannarino 6-4 7-6(4) after an almost three-hour rain interruption.
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The Italian struggled to find his rhythm, failing to serve out at 6-5 but sealing the tiebreak with back-to-back aces for his 24th consecutive hard-court victory.
Mannarino "is a very tough opponent. Very different from other opponents, not only because he is a lefty but how he hits the ball. It is very low," the 23-year-old Sinner said. "I just tried to serve well and tried to see what I could do in the return games."
Sinner will face either 23rd seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or France's Benjamin Bonzi in what will be his fifth quarter-final this year.
Ben Shelton, whose match was also halted after the first set, advanced to the round of 16 with a 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Roberto Bautista Agut. The American fifth seed will next face Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Alexander Zverev completed a 6-4 6-4 win over Brandon Nakashima after the match was suspended overnight when he was leading 5-4 in the second set.
The German third seed is set to return to the court later on Wednesday, aiming to avenge last week's Toronto semi-final loss to Russian Karen Khachanov.
Earlier, seventh seed Holger Rune advanced after home favourite Frances Tiafoe was forced to retire with a back injury. REUTERS