Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-08-19 · by AFP
World number one Aryna Sabalenka dominated China’s Wang Xinyu 6-1, 6-3 to cruise into the Cincinnati Masters fourth round, while Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock defeat to Brandon Nakashima.
asserted
Medvedev → dominate → Nakashima
Sabalenka took only 20 minutes on Tuesday to breeze through the first set against her 36th-ranked opponent and began the second set with a break of serve.
asserted
Sabalenka → take → serve
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Jose Mourinho returns to Real Madrid in closed-door ceremony
- list 2 of 4Barcelona seal deal for World Cup winner Rodri from Manchester City
- list 3 of 4Premier League is back:
asserted
list → return → League
All to know as the 2026-27 season kicks off
- list 4 of 4Arsenal preview: Five key questions heading into new Premier League season
She kept up the pressure in the second set, with Wang double-faulting on the top seed’s first match point after 54 minutes.
The victory marked the 45th in a row for Sabalenka at the Masters 1000 level.
asserted
victory → know → level
“I cannot complain.
asserted
I → complain → ?
She’s a tough opponent,” Sabalenka said.
asserted
Sabalenka → ’ → ?
“To win in straight sets like this in under an hour is insane.
asserted
win → win → hour
“I’m super happy to be through.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
I really trusted myself and went for my shots.
asserted
I → trust → shots
I wasn’t overthinking.
asserted
I → overthinke → ?
I was able to stay focused and be in every point.”
asserted
I → stay → point
Sabalenka next plays Czech Sara Bejlek, a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
asserted
Sabalenka → play → Alexandrova
Fourth seed Coco Gauff needed to battle after a sizzling first set in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory over fellow American Ann Li.
asserted
Gauff → need → Li
The 2023 champion had it all her own way in the opening set against her 29th-ranked foe, winning in 30 minutes.
asserted
it → have → minutes
The pair exchanged early breaks in the second on the way to a tie-breaker, in which Gauff seized a 4-1 lead and won on her third match point.
asserted
Gauff → exchange → point
“She played better in the second set, and I missed a couple of break opportunities,” Gauff said.
asserted
Gauff → play → opportunities
“I tried to forget about those.
asserted
I → try → those
“It was hard to control the ball for both of us, and it was my first time playing a day match on this centre court, so I had to adjust to that.”
asserted
I → control → that
Mirra Andreeva’s French Open reigning champion status counted for little as the fifth seed struggled to close out a 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) victory over Janice Tjen.
asserted
seed → reign → Tjen
The Indonesian challenger, ranked 37, was bowled over in the first set but made Andreeva work to finally advance.
asserted
Andreeva → rank → set
“In the first, I was in command, and she had unforced errors here and there, but in the second, after a couple of games, I started getting nervous.
asserted
I → have → games
She made fewer mistakes – it turned into a match of mentality and physicality,” Andreeva said.
asserted
Andreeva → make → mentality
Eighth seed Elina Svitolina was forced to withdraw before her match against Wang Xiyu with an ankle injury.
asserted
Svitolina → force → injury
“I’ve been advised by the doctors to take a little bit of time to rest and recover completely,” the Ukrainian said in a statement.
asserted
Ukrainian → advise → statement
Canada’s second-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in 90 minutes.
asserted
Aliassime → seed → minutes
“It was a tricky start, finding my rhythm,” the Canadian said.
asserted
Canadian → find → rhythm
“Lefties are tricky, you don’t play them so often.
asserted
you → play → them
You can prepare all you want, but until you step onto the court you can’t find your right adjustments.
asserted
you → prepare → adjustments
Then you feel comfortable.”
asserted
you → feel → ?
Washington winner and fifth seed Taylor Fritz fired eight aces in defeating Daniel Merida 6-3, 6-4 in 83 minutes.
asserted
Fritz → fire → minutes
The Spaniard made 25 unforced errors as Fritz booked a fourth-round match against Australian Chris O’Connell, who is 0-3 against the American.
asserted
who → make → American
Nakashima stuns Medvedev
asserted
Nakashima → stun → Medvedev
Last week’s Montreal finalist Nakashima came from the brink to upset fourth seed Medvedev 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.
asserted
Nakashima → come → Medvedev
Nakashima led 5-2 in the first set before falling in the tie-breaker, then saved three match points in the 10th game of the second set on the way to forcing a third, which he dominated.
asserted
he → lead → which
Italian 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti defeated American Michael Zheng 6-1, 6-3 in 71 minutes.
asserted
Musetti → defeat → minutes
Portugal’s Nuno Borges defeated 2021 runner-up Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-4 in 72 minutes.
asserted
Borges → defeat → minutes
The 47th-ranked Borges ended a five-match loss streak in the rivalry, while Rublev will drop from the top 20 for the first time since January 2020.
asserted
Rublev → rank → January
“I played amazing,” Borges said.
asserted
Borges → play → ?
“It means a lot to be in the fourth round.
asserted
It → mean → round
It’s a big moment for me.”
asserted
It → ’ → me
