World number one Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a 6-1 7-5 win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Wednesday, while defending champion Jannik Sinner beat Adrian Mannarino following a lengthy rain delay.
Fresh off a thrilling third-round battle with Emma Raducanu, reigning champion Sabalenka had an easier ride against the Spaniard, earning her tour-leading 50th win in one hour and 20 minutes.
“I was up a break, made a couple of mistakes and she broke me back,” Sabalenka said. “I’m glad to win in straight sets. I didn’t want to stay for three hours.”
The Belarusian will next meet Elena Rybakina in a final-worthy showdown, as the ninth-seeded Kazakh rallied to beat Madison Keys 6-7(3) 6-4 6-2.
Earlier, third seed Iga Swiatek reached the quarters with a 6-4 6-4 win over Sorana Cirstea, with the Wimbledon champion extending her perfect record against the Romanian to 5-0.
“We played many tough matches, so I know Sorana can really hit the ball well, especially on faster surfaces,” Poland’s Swiatek said.
“Not many of my first serves went in, but I was happy I was solid on my second serves.”
Fellow Pole Magda Linette secured her second Top-10 win of the season, upsetting 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.
SINNER, ALCARAZ THROUGH
In the men’s draw, top seed Sinner kept his title defence on track, beating France’s Mannarino 6-4 7-6(4) after an almost three-hour rain interruption.
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.
“He is a very tough opponent. Very different from other opponents, not only because he is a lefty but how he hits the ball. It’s very low,” Sinner said. “I just tried to serve well and tried to see what I could do in the return games.”
Sinner will face 23rd seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in his fifth quarter-final this year.
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz booked his 18th Masters 1000 quarter-final by beating Italy’s Luca Nardi 6-1 6-4. The Spaniard, into the last eight in Cincinnati for the third time, has now won 36 of his last 38 matches.
“This match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” Alcaraz said. “I’m really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved. I got used to the conditions, the humidity and heat. I’m happy to get through.”
Ben Shelton, whose match was also halted after the first set, progressed to the last 16 with a 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Roberto Bautista Agut. The American fifth seed will 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.
French qualifier Terence Atmane earned the biggest win of his career by stunning fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6 7-5 6-3, earning his first Masters 1000 quarter-final berth.
Atmane will meet seventh seed Holger Rune, who advanced after Frances Tiafoe retired due to a back injury.
