Iga Swiatek moved into the semifinals of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters as Elena Rybakina was forced to retire with a heel injury less than half an hour into their clash on Thursday.
asserted
Rybakina → move → Thursday
Rybakina’s withdrawal raised concerns over the fitness of the world number two Kazakh just 10 days before the start of the US Open.
asserted
withdrawal → raise → Open
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list → know → League
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Trailing 4-1 in the opening set of Thursday’s Cincinnati quarterfinal, Rybakina suddenly pulled up short at 40-all, heading to her bench and consulting with the trainer.
asserted
Rybakina → know → trainer
She went back out and played one more point before quitting.
asserted
She → go → point
“I was feeling anxious watching the whole situation,” said her opponent Swiatek.
asserted
opponent → feel → situation
“I hope she will be fine.
asserted
she → hope → ?
I hope she is ready for that,” she said, referring to the major which begins in New York on August 30.
asserted
which → hope → August
“It was a shame she was injured, we were having a good match.”
asserted
we → injure → match
Had two-time Grand Slam winner Rybakina reached the Cincinnati final, she would have risen to number one in the world for the first time in her career, following incumbent Aryna Sabalenka’s shock exit to 20-year-old Sara Bejlek.
asserted
she → reach → Bejlek
Defending Cincinnati champion Swiatek said she had “gained a lot of confidence in the last weeks,” which have also included her victory over Rybakina in the final of this month’s Toronto event.
asserted
which → say → event
“I feel great, ready to play my game …
asserted
I → feel → game
I’m happy to be playing the tennis that I am.”
asserted
I → ’m → tennis
Poland’s Swiatek now plays a semifinal against Jessica Pegula, who is reportedly carrying a hip niggle after defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4).
uncertain
who → play → Anisimova
Sixth-seeded Anisimova converted all five of her break points against Pegula, breaking her three times in the second set, before the world number three rebounded to win.
asserted
number → convert → set
Pegula is setting WTA records at age 32.
asserted
Pegula → set → age
She is the fourth player since 2009 to reach five or more Masters 1000 quarterfinals after turning 30, along with Li Na, Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
asserted
She → reach → Na
Pegula needed just 34 minutes to pocket the opening set.
asserted
Pegula → need → set
But Anisimova struck back in the second, earning a double break for 4-0.
asserted
Anisimova → strike → 4
After Anisimova squared the match at one set each, Pegula regrouped with an opening break in the deciding set.
asserted
Pegula → square → set
They would each be broken twice as they went to the tiebreaker, where Pegula sealed the win on her first match point.
asserted
Pegula → break → point
“I know I have a good record against her, but literally every single match is like it was today,” she said.
asserted
she → know → her
In the men’s draw, Flavio Cobolli advanced to the final four with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Tommy Paul, gobbling down a handful of sweets for an unorthodox boost midway through the match.
asserted
Cobolli → advance → match
The Roland Garros runner-up asked for the candy to be brought to the court and seemingly took energy from the pause before dispatching Paul, who had himself eliminated top seed Alexander Zverev 24 hours earlier.
asserted
who → ask → Zverev
“A sweet with chocolate makes me happy,” Cobolli said.
asserted
Cobolli → make → chocolate
“I’ve tried it in doubles so why not singles?”
asserted
I → try → doubles
Cobolli mounted the comeback after dropping the opening set.
asserted
Cobolli → mount → set
With the match tied at a set apiece, Paul needed an extraordinary effort to hold serve for 4-3 in the final set, battling through five deuces and saving four break points.
asserted
Paul → tie → points
But Cobolli ignored the showing and closed out the victory.
asserted
Cobolli → ignore → victory
“It was a difficult day,” the winner said.
asserted
winner → say → ?
“I’m proud of my effort, my game and my mental strength.
asserted
I → ’m → effort
Cobelli will play for a place in the final when he faces Arthur Fils, who defeated Thiago Tirante 6-3, 6-2 in just 64 minutes — the shortest men’s match of the event.
asserted
who → play → event
Fils, the eighth Frenchman to reach Cincinnati semi-finals in the Open Era, said he was impressed by the weight of his opponent’s big game.
asserted
he → reach → game
“He has an unbelievable serve; I was surprised by the speed of his ball,” he said.
“I tried to make him play a bit more.
asserted
him → have → ball
I stayed solid in my head and it worked pretty well for me.”
asserted
it → stay → me
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