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· collected 2026-08-18 · by AFP
analysis
Alexander Zverev won his ATP season-best 46th match of the campaign by defeating Terrance Atmane in the Cincinnati Masters, advancing to the fourth round. The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, lost their first doubles match together in four years, falling to Payton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 1-6, 10-8. Zverev credited Atmane with playing aggressively, while Serena noted that the reunion of the Williams sisters is a limited-time attraction and not something they plan to do every week. The article focuses on the tennis tournament's day two results, highlighting the winners and their matches in the men's singles competition.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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
