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By Ishaan Kapoor — 19 August 2026 — 3 min read

Aryna Sabalenka secured her spot in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open with a swift victory, while Daniil Medvedev experienced a frustrating defeat after holding multiple match points. Sabalenka, the world number one, completed her match in just 54 minutes, showcasing a composed performance.

In her match against Wang Xinyu, Sabalenka did not face any break points, winning 6-1, 6-3. She lost only six points across eight service games and made just five unforced errors, contrasting with 17 winners. This win marked her easiest in some time, following her Wimbledon fourth-round exit and an early loss in Canada the previous week.

The 28-year-old expressed satisfaction with her performance, stating she trusted herself and went for her shots without overthinking, which she identified as a key factor in the match. Sabalenka is the two-time defending champion at the US Open, which is scheduled to begin on Sunday, 30 August. No woman has achieved three consecutive New York titles since Serena Williams in 2014.

Sabalenka’s position as world number one is currently under threat from Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina. Heading into the Cincinnati Open, Sabalenka held a 354-point lead over Rybakina. To have a chance at surpassing Sabalenka, Rybakina must reach the final. If Sabalenka advances to the quarter-finals, Rybakina would then need to win the title to claim the world number one ranking. Sabalenka is set to play against Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic for a place in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev, the fourth seed, displayed significant frustration during his match against Brandon Nakashima. Medvedev had initially recovered from a 5-2 deficit in the first set to win it in a tie-break. He then had three match points on Nakashima’s serve at 5-4 in the second set.

However, Nakashima saved these match points and proceeded to win a subsequent tie-break, eventually dominating the third set to secure a 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victory. Following the missed match points, Medvedev reacted by throwing his racquet at the electronic boards at the back of the court, causing a brief breakage. He also kicked the screen and knocked over several microphones, having committed 51 unforced errors during his performance.

Nakashima commented on his approach during the match points, stating he focused on fighting for every point and expressed happiness with his level of play in the third set. Other players also advanced to the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open.

Mirra Andreeva, the fifth seed, also progressed to the fourth round, overcoming Janice Tjen with a 6-1, 7-6(5) win in 1 hour and 42 minutes. Andreeva converted her fourth match point to secure her victory. This marks the first time Andreeva has won consecutive matches since her Grand Slam title win at Roland Garros in June. She will next face Marta Kostyuk for the fourth time this year, with Kostyuk leading their head-to-head 2-1, though Andreeva won their most recent encounter in the Roland Garros semifinals.

Coco Gauff, the fourth seed and 2023 champion, also secured her spot in the fourth round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open. She defeated fellow American Ann Li with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (3). This is Gauff’s 36th career WTA 1000 fourth round appearance, including six this season. Among active players competing in Cincinnati singles, only Aryna Sabalenka (44), Karolina Pliskova (44), Elina Svitolina (43), Iga Swiatek (38), and Jessica Pegula (38) have more. Gauff is scheduled to play against Marie Bouzkova in the next round.

Sabalenka’s victory in Cincinnati means she has now reached the Round of 16 or better at 45 WTA 1000 events in her career, surpassing Karolina Pliskova for the most among active players. She also holds 50 career wins at WTA 1000 events as World No. 1, making her one of only three players to achieve this since the format’s introduction in 2009, alongside Serena Williams (104) and Iga Swiatek (58).

Source: bbc.com