Second-ranked defending champion Coco Gauff was shocked in her opening match on the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open on Thursday, falling to Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
The shock defeat for America’s Paris Olympic flag-bearer left the partisan crowd within the U.S. heartland reeling, coming simply earlier than the U.S. Open, the place Gauff is the reigning champion.
Kazakh upset artist Putintseva, ranked thirty fourth, has a knack for surprises, having knocked off world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon only a month in the past.
“I’m really proud of myself,” stated Putintseva. “Even if the crowd was cheering for Coco, they were fair with me.”
“These courts are so fast; you have to just play on instinct. That’s what I did,” she added.
Gauff, who turned the youngest winner at Cincinnati final 12 months at age 19, carried that success into her first Grand Slam triumph on the U.S. Open.
Putintseva will subsequent face Spain’s Paula Badosa, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-2.
Third seed Aryna Sabalenka improved her opening-match report on the occasion by defeating Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4, whereas males’s second seed Alexander Zverev additionally superior.
Sabalenka, who missed Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics on account of a shoulder harm, has now received six of seven opening matches at Cincinnati.
“I’m happy with my level in the tough moments,” Sabalenka stated. “Elisabetta is a difficult opponent. She fought to the last point.”
Cocciaretto was handled for a left hip drawback halfway by the second set and had thigh tape adjusted by the coach at changeovers.
Zverev dodged just a few raindrops late within the second set earlier than wrapping up his ATP-leading fiftieth match win of the season.
The German, who received the title right here in 2021 after dropping his first six profession matches on the venue, superior to the third spherical with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Karen Khachanov.
The victory, achieved in 76 minutes, mirrored the Tokyo Olympic closing, which Zverev additionally received.
Khachanov dedicated 26 unforced errors in defeat in opposition to a longtime rival whom he now trails 5-2.
Zverev, who confessed to feeling poorly final week in Montreal regardless of reaching the quarterfinals, stated his kind has improved.
“I felt well on court. If you feel good in training, it’s easier to bring it to the match,” he stated. “I just hope my form can get better. I’m happy I got the win today.”
Zverev had no rationalization for his 2023 run of success, saying, “It’s just been a good year, but I’ve also had some tough losses.”
Hurkacz to face Cobolli
Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta will probably be Zverev’s subsequent opponent after defeating Australian Max Purcell 6-3, 6-3.
Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz, who made a shock comeback from July knee surgical procedure by reaching final week’s Montreal quarterfinals, received his opening match by defeating Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.
The Pole labored for greater than two hours, hitting 16 aces and saving 17 of 19 break factors.
He will bid for the quarterfinals in opposition to Italian Flavio Cobolli, who superior when compatriot Luca Darderi retired, trailing 7-6 (7-4), 3-1 on account of obvious sickness.
In the WTA draw, Elena Rybakina was thwarted in her first match since Wimbledon, falling to Canadian Leylah Fernandez 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 as Fernandez saved two match factors in an upset of the fourth seed.
Rybakina, who missed the Paris Games with acute bronchitis, struggled with 17 double faults, together with on match factors. Even 20 aces couldn’t save her afternoon.
Elina Svitolina, a semifinalist right here 9 years in the past, defeated Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-1 and can subsequent face Sabalenka.
Sabalenka has received their final two matches, together with a Roland Garros quarterfinal in 2023 and a three-setter in Rome three months in the past.
Newly minted Armenian Elina Avanesyan, who not too long ago switched tennis nationalities, shocked eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 comeback.
Source: www.dailysabah.com