Fresh off Toronto title, Iga Swiatek wins first match at Cincinnati Open

MASON, Ohio (AP) — Iga Swiatek overcame a short turnaround after winning in Toronto on Thursday to beat Colombian Emiliana Arango, 6-3, 6-0, on center court at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday.

It was the seventh consecutive win for Swiatek, who won the title in Cincinnati last year.

“It’s not like I was super tired after Toronto,” Swiatek said on Sunday two days after arriving. “I knew I just needed a little bit of rest. Usually one day before a tournament, I’m already in my match mode. But this time, I wanted to spend every hour possible just chilling.”

Also on Sunday, Aryna Sabalenka, who has spent 95 consecutive weeks at No. 1 dating to Oct. 21, 2024, got past Australian Talia Gibson, 6-2, 7-6 (2). Sabalenka improved to 15-3 in Cincinnati since 2022.

Coming off her loss to Swiatek in the finals in Toronto, No. 2-ranked Elena Rybakina beat American Taylor Townsend, 6-3, 6-4.

Rybakina, who reached the semifinals last year in Cincinnati, is looking for her 14th hard-court title in Cincinnati after winning the Australian Open in January.

Tenth-ranked Taylor Fritz beat fellow American Alex Michelsen, 6-3, 6-4, in the men’s tournament.

World No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime took down Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.

It was Auger-Aliassime’s first hard court match since March after he pulled out of Montreal due to a lower back injury. It was the 11th meeting with Tsitipas leading 7-4.

American Madison Keys outlasted Daria Snigur, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Sixth-ranked Mirra Andreeva dispatched of Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, 6-1, 6-0, for her 40th win of 2026.

Daniil Medvedev got past qualifier Marco Trungelliti, 6-4, 7-5.

Brazilian Joao Fonseca, 19, became the third teenager to reach the third round in Cincinnati, joining Michael Chang in 1990 and Pete Sampras in 1991. Fonseca defeated Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

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