Top seed Alexander Zverev battled into the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Monday while Serena and Venus Williams lost in their first doubles match together in four years.
asserted
Williams → battle → years
German star Zverev, who won Roland Garros and finished Wimbledon runner-up this year, won his ATP season-best 46th match of the campaign by defeating Terrance Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6).
asserted
who → win → Atmane
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asserted
group → head → limits
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Zverev finished off the Frenchman, a 2025 Cincinnati semifinalist, with a sizzling backhand down the line.
asserted
Zverev → beat → line
“He was playing incredibly aggressively, hitting forehands all over the court,” said Zverev.
asserted
Zverev → play → court
“He made it difficult for you to play aggressive yourself.”
asserted
you → make → ?
The Williams sisters, with 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals together, were side-by-side for the first time since the 2022 US Open but lost to American Payton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.
asserted
sisters → lose → Ukraine
We kicked off a little rust,” Serena Williams said.
asserted
Williams → kick → rust
“I didn’t come here to win this tournament.
asserted
I → come → tournament
It’s about having fun and I did want to do the best I could.”
uncertain
I → ’ → best
The siblings each lost serve once in the first set and lost six of the final seven games, but dominated the second set and rallied from 8-2 down in the 10-point tie-breaker third set only to fall on a Venus double fault.
asserted
siblings → lose → fault
This is not my usual Monday night,” said Serena, who noted the reunion is a limited-time attraction.
asserted
reunion → say → ?
It’s… not long,” she said.
asserted
she → ’ → ?
“We don’t have to play every week.
asserted
We → have → ?
It’s a bit different.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Men’s fifth seed Alex de Minaur battled through multiple rain interruptions to defeat Arthur Fery 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).
asserted
Minaur → battle → Fery
The Australian was up a set and 5-1 after a 30-minute stoppage before Wimbledon semifinalist Fery caught fire, but he took the tie-break to advance despite 29 unforced errors.
asserted
he → catch → errors
“You never want to go into a rain delay leading 5-1,” he said.
asserted
he → want → delay
I can’t remember a match that started and stopped so many times.
asserted
that → remember → match
I’m happy with how I found a way.”
asserted
I → ’m → way
He next faces France’s Arthur Fils, who dumped Czech ninth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3.
asserted
who → face → Lehecka
Spanish teen Rafael Jodar dominated Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 6-2, 6-1 and next faces Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli.
asserted
Jodar → dominate → Cobolli
The Italian rallied from a break down in the third set to beat Alexander Blockx 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.
asserted
Italian → rally → Blockx
“A Masters 1000 is something I dreamed of as a kid,” 12th-seeded Jodar said.
asserted
Jodar → dream → kid
“I’m grateful for the position I’m in now.”
asserted
I → ’m → position
Argentinian Thiago Tirante, who ousted Novak Djokovic in the second round, defeated Spain’s Martin Landaluce 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4).
asserted
who → oust → Landaluce
‘A crazy day’
Two-time Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina shook off two one-hour rain stoppages to beat Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).
“It was a crazy day, to be honest, coming out every time into clouds and humidity,” Rybakina said.
asserted
Rybakina → shake → clouds
“I had the opportunities on the three match points but when you are tired it’s difficult to keep concentration.
asserted
it → have → concentration
Former world number one and defending champion Swiatek was done hours before the poor weather, turning the tables after losing the first set in defeating Maria Sakkari 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
asserted
Swiatek → defend → Sakkari
Pegula, a 2024 finalist, dispatched US compatriot Emma Navarro 7-5, 6-2, ending with an ace.
asserted
Pegula → dispatch → ace
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