At Cincinnati Open 2025: Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka made strong starts to their title defenses at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open 2025 on Saturday, cruising into the third round.
Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka Cruise Into Third Round At Cincinnati Open 2025
Both top seeds, and both ranked number one in the world, were playing their first matches since Wimbledon, where Jannik Sinner took home the trophy and Sabalenka exited in the semi-finals.
Jannik Sinner dominated Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in the hot afternoon sun, while Aryna Sabalenka handled 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1 in the evening session under the lights.
Aryna Sabalenka wrapped up the first set in just 54 minutes, breaking Vondrousova’s serve in the final game with a sharp winner.
The second set was not quite as easy as the score made it seem. She had to dig deep to save five break points for a 4-1 lead, then recovered from 0-30 down in the final game before sealing the win.
“It’s always a tough match against her,” Sabalenka said of her Czech rival, whom she has now faced nine times. “She pushed me to the limit. If you lose focus even a little bit it can cost you a set. I had to fight for every point against her.”
Aryna Sabalenka will now face Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who beat Olga Danilovic 6-3, 6-2.
Over on the men’s side, Jannik Sinner put on a clinic with 17 winners and just four unforced errors. He raced through the first five games in only 15 minutes, giving his 144th-ranked opponent, a qualifier, hardly any breathing room.
The 59-minute win was the fastest of Sinner’s ATP career, beating his previous best by a minute. It also marked his 22nd straight win on hard courts, with his last loss coming in the Beijing final against Carlos Alcaraz back in September.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Sinner said about returning to competition. “I’m happy because it’s not easy to play here. The ball is flying and you have to serve very precise if you want to go far in the tournament. Today I was finding my spots but there is still a little room to improve. For a first match it could not have gone better.”
After taking the first set, Sinner broke serve to start the second. Galan held in a grueling seven-minute game, saving five break points, but it was only a brief pause in Sinner’s momentum. Three aces later, he was up 3-1 and on his way to finishing the job.
Upsets for Lorenzo Musetti and Casper Ruud in Men’s Draw
Elsewhere, eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti and 11th seed Casper Ruud both suffered upset losses to French opponents. Benjamin Bonzi edged out Musetti 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), while Artur Rinderknech took down Ruud 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2, taking full advantage of Ruud’s 34 unforced errors.
“I stayed aggressive throughout the match,” Rinderknech said. “You cannot let Casper start to dictate.”
Seventh seed Holger Rune opened with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) win over Russia’s Roman Safiullin. He will face American Alex Michelsen next, who beat France’s Corentin Moutet 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Iga Swiatek Starts Strong in Cincinnati
In the women’s draw, reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek got off to a smooth start, beating Anastasia Potapova 6-1, 6-4.
The Polish star has made the semi-finals here the past two years, but Cincinnati remains one of only two WTA 1000 tournaments, along with Canada, where she has never reached the final.
The third seed advanced in just 74 minutes, saving four of the five break points she faced.
“I wanted to play solid – but intense as well,” Swiatek said. “It was up and down in the second set. But in the important moments I got my level up to close out the win.”
Australian Open champion Madison Keys needed over two hours to get past Germany’s Eva Lys 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1), saving two match points at 5-6 in the deciding set.
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