CINCINNATI: World number one Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Wednesday, while men’s top seed Jannik Sinner beat Adrian Mannarino following a lengthy rain delay.

Fresh off a thrilling third-round battle with Emma Raducanu, women’s reigning champion Sabalenka had an easier ride against the Spaniard Bouzas Maneiro, earning her tour-leading 50th win in one hour and 20 minutes.

The Belarusian will next meet 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a final-worthy showdown, as the ninth-seeded Kazakh rallied from a set down to beat Australian Open winner Madison Keys 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-2.

Earlier, six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek reached the quarters with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sorana Cirstea, with the third-seeded Pole extending her perfect record against the Romanian to 5-0.

Fellow Pole Magda Linette secured her second top-10 win of the season by upsetting American fourth seed Jessica Pegula 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3 in a third-round match that extended over two days after Tuesday’s suspension due to rain.

In the men’s draw, defending champion Sinner kept his title defence on track, beating Frenchman Mannarino 6-4. 7-6 (7/4) after an almost three-hour rain interruption.

The Italian four-time Grand Slam champion struggled to find his rhythm, failing to serve out at 6-5 but sealing the tiebreak with back-to-back aces for his 24th consecutive hard-court victory.

Sinner will face Canadian 23rd seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Benjamin Bonzi of France 6-4, 6-3, in his fifth quarter-final this year.

Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz booked his 18th Masters 1000 quarter-final by hammering Italian Luca Nardi 6-1, 6-4. The five-times major winner, into the last eight in Cincinnati for the third time, has now won 36 of his last 38 matches.

After sweeping the opening set in 28 minutes, Alcaraz hit a speed bump, dropping his serve to trail 2-4.

He promptly regained the break, then fought through a marathon ninth game that went to deuce eight times to take a 5-4 lead, Nardi coughing up a double-fault on break point.

Alcaraz double-faulted on his first match point before producing a volley winner to complete the job.

“This match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” Alcaraz said. “I’m really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved. I got used to the conditions, the humidity and heat. I’m happy to get through.”

Alcaraz will next face Russian ninth seed Andrey Rublev, who beat Argentine Francisco Comesana 6-2, 6-3.

German third seed Alexander Zverev had to take to the court twice on Wedn­esday to reach the quarters — although both outings were relatively short-lived.

The German started his day by polishing off a 6-4, 6-4 third-round victory over Brandon Nakashima in a match continued from Tuesday.

The entire one-game exercise, with 2021 Cincy winner Zverev leading 6-4, 5-4 when play resumed, took less than two minutes.

Hours later Zverev advanced to the quarters when Karen Khachanov retired with Zverev leading 7-5, 3-0.

Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton, whose match was also halted after the first set, progressed to the last 16 with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut. The American fifth seed will face Czech Jiri Lehecka.

French qualifier Terence Atmane sprung the surprise of the day, shocking fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to win the biggest match of his career.

After putting a winner into the corner on match point, Atmane sank to his knees and shed a few tears.

He’ll fight for a semi-final berth against seventh-seeded Holger Rune, who led 6-4, 3-1 when home hope Frances Tiafoe retired with back trouble.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2025