Aryna Sabalenka sprints past Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, sets blockbuster Cincinnati Open clash against Elena Rybakina

Aryna Sabalenka, just two nights after outlasting Emma Raducanu in a three-hour thriller, needed only half that time to overcome Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday night. The world number 1 secured a straight-sets victory, 6-1, 7-5, in one hour and 20 minutes, moving into the quarterfinals and one step closer to defending her Cincinnati title.

Her reward? A blockbuster quarterfinal against Elena Rybakina, who emerged victorious in her own fourth-round contest against Madison Keys. Rybakina battled through a three-set encounter, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2, setting up the second meeting of 2025 between the two power hitters.

Reflecting after her match Sabalenka said, "Jessica is a great player... I knew coming into the night that I’d have to work for every point. She didn’t start well at the beginning, but then she found her rhythm and it was a really tough battle. I’m super happy to get this win in straight sets. I didn’t want to stay here for three hours, sorry guys."

The victory marked another milestone for Sabalenka, making her the first player to reach 50 WTA Tour wins in 2025. It also extended her record of consistency in Cincinnati, as she became the first player since Simona Halep to reach four consecutive quarterfinals at the event. Halep achieved six straight quarterfinals from 2013 to 2018.

Sabalenka storms through the first set

Sabalenka stamped her authority from the outset, maximising her opportunities, winning 82% of first-serve points. Her second serve, while weaker, still won 47% of points, enough to maintain momentum. In contrast, Bouzas Maneiro struggled on serve: winning only 33% of first-serve points and 0% on second serves, making it difficult to build any rhythm. Sabalenka’s return pressure translated into three of three break points converted, giving her a commanding lead.

Sabalenka edges second set in tighter battle

The second set saw a much closer contest than the first, with Sabalenka’s dominance noticeably reduced. While she still held a slight edge in serve, winning 83% of her service games and delivering four aces without a double fault, Bouzas Maneiro fought back, converting 67% of her own service games despite committing three double faults.

Overall, while Sabalenka still managed to clinch the set 7-5, the stats highlight a significant uptick in competitiveness, with the Belarusian relying more on her serve and fewer outright points from returns to maintain the lead. The set’s near parity in total points (43-38) underscores how Bouzas Maneiro raised her level, forcing Sabalenka to work harder to close it out.

Rybakina, meanwhile, came through her own testing encounter in Cincinnati. Facing Madison Keys in a Top 10 showdown, Rybakina dropped the first set in a tiebreak, 6-7(3), before recovering to take the next two sets 6-4, 6-2. This victory marked her third comeback win en route to a Tier 1/WTA 1000 quarterfinal, a rare feat in the Open era, and only her second Top 10 triumph of 2025 following her comeback win against Paula Badosa in Dubai.

The win over Keys gives Rybakina momentum and confidence heading into her quarterfinal against Sabalenka, but the Belarusian holds the edge in their head-to-head series. Sabalenka leads 7-4 in WTA tour-level events, and secured their most recent encounter earlier this year in Berlin with a tight 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(6) victory.

Start time (local): Not scheduled yet

Start time (your time): Not scheduled yet

Tournament: Cincinnati Open

Round: Quarterfinal

While Sabalenka has the historical advantage, there is one stat that Rybakina can lean on: neither player has managed to win consecutive matches in their last six meetings. This suggests Friday’s quarterfinal could hinge on mental fortitude as much as on power and precision. Fans can expect another tightly contested battle featuring high-risk groundstrokes, blistering serves, and the tactical acumen that has defined both players’ seasons.