Sabalenka breezes through as Medvedev loses cool in defeatImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Aryna Sabalenka won the Cincinnati Open title in 2024Published8 minutes agoWorld number one Aryna Sabalenka needed just 54 minutes to reach the Cincinnati Open fourth round – but Daniil Medvedev could not hide his frustration after missing three match points in a surprise defeat.Sabalenka did not face a break point in a 6-1 6-3 win over China’s Wang Xinyu.The Belarusian lost only six points in eight service games and committed just five unforced errors to 17 winners in a composed performance.It was Sabalenka’s easiest win for some time following her fourth-round Wimbledon exit and an early loss in Canada last week.
“To get this win in under an hour [is] an insane result and I’m so happy to be through,” the 28-year-old mentioned.
“I think I really trusted myself and I was going for my shots without overthinking.
“That was the weapon of tonight’s match.”
Sabalenka is the two-time defending champion at the US Open, which begins on Sunday, 30 August.
No woman since Serena Williams in 2014 has won the New York title three times in a row.
Sabalenka’s position as world number one is also under threat from Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.
Four-time major singles champion Sabalenka had a 354-point gap over Rybakina going into Cincinnati.
Rybakina must reach the final to have a chance at surpassing Sabalenka. If Sabalenka reaches the quarter-finals, Rybakina would need to win the title to become world number one.
Sabalenka will face Czech Sara Bejlek for a place in the last eight.
Earlier, fourth seed Medvedev lost his cool after squandering a match-winning position against Brandon Nakashima.
The Russian had fought back from 5-2 down in the first set to take it on a tie-break and had three match points on the American’s serve at 5-4 in the second.
However, Nakashima saved them and won a subsequent tie-break – then ran away with the third set to win 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.
Medvedev hurled his racquet at the electronic boards at the back of the court – briefly breaking it – after missing the match points.
He also kicked the screen and knocked over several microphones after committing 51 unforced errors in a poor display.
“Down match points, I was just trying to tell myself to keep fighting for every point,” Nakashima mentioned.
“I’m super happy with the level in the third.”
