World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka survived a stern test from former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to reach the third round of the Cincinnati Open, beating the Czech 7-5, 6-1 Saturday night. Sabalenka weathered sustained pressure—Vondrousova created six break-point opportunities in the first set and six more in the second—yet Sabalenka saved them all and converted the lone break chance she had in the opening set on set point.
“It’s always a tough match against her,” Sabalenka said afterward. “(Vondrousova) always pushes me to the limit. You have to stay focused, and you have to fight for every point against her.” The victory marked Sabalenka’s fifth win in eight meetings with Vondrousova.
Sabalenka will next face Emma Raducanu, who advanced earlier in the day with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Olga Danilovic. Raducanu, who hadn’t been seeded at a WTA 1000 event since Cincinnati in 2022, has been steady this summer and has not lost her tournament-opening match since Indian Wells in March. Sabalenka leads Raducanu 2-0 in their head-to-head; their most recent meeting came at Wimbledon this year, a 7-6(6), 6-4 win for Sabalenka.
Why this matters
– Sabalenka’s ability to save numerous break points highlights her serving resilience and mental toughness—key traits for a top-ranked player defending a title.
– Raducanu’s convincing win suggests she’s in good form, setting up an intriguing contrast: Sabalenka’s power and aggressive baseline game versus Raducanu’s tactical variety and rhythm.
What to watch in the Sabalenka–Raducanu matchup
– Serve performance under pressure: Sabalenka’s break-point savviness versus Raducanu’s return consistency.
– Momentum swings—matches between former Grand Slam champions often hinge on a few critical games rather than long runs of dominance.
– Raducanu’s ability to trouble Sabalenka with depth and angles, and whether Sabalenka can convert break chances when they arise.
Short summary
Sabalenka edged past Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1 after saving multiple break points, and will face Emma Raducanu—who beat Olga Danilovic 6-3, 6-2—in the third round. Sabalenka has won their two previous meetings and goes into Monday’s match as favorite, but Raducanu arrives with momentum.
Suggested headline and WordPress extras
– Headline: Sabalenka survives Vondrousova test, set to meet Raducanu in Cincinnati third round
– Tags: Cincinnati Open, Aryna Sabalenka, Emma Raducanu, Marketa Vondrousova, WTA
– Suggested pull quote: “You have to stay focused, and you have to fight for every point against her.” — Aryna Sabalenka
– Suggested image caption: Sabalenka saved multiple break points en route to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Vondrousova.
Hopeful angle
This matchup pairs two former Grand Slam champions at different points in their careers—Sabalenka defending a title and Raducanu rebuilding momentum—which promises an exciting, high-stakes clash and a chance for fans to see top-level competitive tennis with unpredictable moments.
Logical note
Sabalenka’s success here is grounded in measurable resilience (saving many break points) rather than dominance on return games; that pattern suggests tight matches could be decided by a few key points, making the upcoming Sabalenka–Raducanu contest likely to be closely contested.