Cincinnati. The Polish Iga Swiatek, number one in world tennis, and the British Emma Raducanu set foot in the round of 16 of the Cincinnati tournament, where the Mexican Giuliana Olmos and the Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski defeated the duo 6-1 and 6-4. Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu and French Martina Trevisan, to advance to the quarterfinals in doubles.
Swiatek, one of the big favorites for this WTA 1000 title, debuted in the second round with a 6-4, 7-5 victory against the American Sloane Stephens, 57 in the world. The 21-year-old Pole scored her 50th victory in a season that began with a dazzling haul of six titles, including her second Grand Slam a Roland Garros.
Her rival in the round of 16 will be the American Madison Keys, who accounted for the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 6-4 and 7-5.
Another of the young figures of the circuit, the 19-year-old British Emma Raducanu, dispatched a second champion of Grand Slam in less than 24 hours by striking down Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-0, 6-2.
The Spanish-Venezuelan Garbiñe Muguruza still hasn’t raised her head and was eliminated in her debut by the Kazakh Elena Rybakina, brand new Wimbledon champion.
Muguruza, number 9 of the ranking WTA, was overwhelmed by Rybakina (25) 6-3 and 6-1 in one hour and 13 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Romanian Simona Halep, winner of the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto on Sunday, withdrew due to injury before the match against Russian Veronika Kudermetova.
In the men’s box, category Masters 1000, the Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista (15) eliminated the American Marcos Giron by double 6-3 and awaits the winner of the match between his compatriot Rafa-el Nadal, current three in the world, against the Croatian Borna Coric (157).
Nick Kyrgios, last Wimbledon finalist, fell 6-3, 6-2 at the hands of fellow local Taylor Fritz in just 51 minutes of play. Against Fritz, the temperamental Australian player showed signs of physical problems and was also the subject of several complaints about the flickering lights on a billboard which he claimed distracted him.
Fritz, champion this year of the Masters 1000 Indian Wells, took advantage of Kyrgios’ frustration to secure a quick win and meet Russian Andrey Rublev in the round of 16, who defeated 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/3), and 6 -2 to Italian Fabio Fognini,
The British Cameron Norrie emerged victorious from a fierce duel against his veteran compatriot Andy Murray, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, number 7 in the ATP, beat Serbian Filip Krajinovic 6- 3 and 6-4.
