Tennis Star Rybakina Ousts Sabalenka in Cincinnati, Alcaraz Advancing to Semifinals
In the 2025 Cincinnati Open, several top-ranked players battled it out for a spot in the semi-finals. Among them, Elena Rybakina, the ninth seed, and Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked player, faced off in an exciting quarterfinal match.
Rybakina, who had already claimed a victory over Madison Keys earlier in the tournament, continued her strong form against Sabalenka. The Kazakhstani player delivered a brilliant performance, firing 11 aces and earning 81% of points on her first serve. Despite facing five break points, Rybakina saved them all, securing a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory over Sabalenka. This win marked Rybakina's best victory of the season and her second consecutive Top 10 victory at the event.
However, Rybakina's run came to an end in the semi-finals, as she faced Iga Swiatek, the third seed. Swiatek, who had recently defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4, proved to be a tough opponent for Rybakina. Both players served well, with Rybakina delivering 10 aces but converting only 1 of 4 break points, while Swiatek had 7 aces and converted 3 of 8 break points. The match lasted about one hour and 40 minutes, and Swiatek claimed victory in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. This result showed Swiatek's continued dominance in their head-to-head, now leading 5-4 with four straight wins over Rybakina.
Meanwhile, Veronika Kudermetova also made it to the semi-finals, reaching her first Cincinnati Open semi-final by defeating Varvara Gracheva 6-1, 6-2. Kudermetova will face either second seed Coco Gauff or seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini in the semis.
On the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz, the fifth seed, advanced to his 12th Masters 1000 semi-final by defeating Andrey Rublev 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. Alcaraz's win marks his 15th consecutive Masters 1000 win, a remarkable feat in the tennis world. Frenchman Terence Atmane will face Italian top seed Jannik Sinner in the other last-four clash of the men's draw.
As the Cincinnati Open continues, fans will be eager to see who will emerge victorious in the upcoming semi-finals and ultimately claim the title.
Rybakina's impressive tennis game, marked by a series of strong performances and victories over top-ranked players like Aryna Sabalenka, has solidified her place among the top competitors in sports, particularly in women's tennis. In the upcoming semi-finals, she will continue her pursuit of the Cincinnati Open title against her next opponent.
