Preview Cincinnati Open WTA Quarter-Finals: Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek all still in it to win it

The 2025 Cincinnati Open has delivered thrilling upsets, intense battles, and standout performances, and now the women’s singles draw reaches its quarter-final stage. With semi-final spots on the line, some of the sport’s biggest names remain in contention, while a few dark horses look to continue their surprising runs. Fans can expect high-quality tennis, powerful rallies, and moments of sheer brilliance as each player fights to advance to the next round. Here is a look at the upcoming matchups, in order of play:

Iga Swiatek vs Anna Kalinskaya

Third seed Iga Swiatek has been imperious on her way to the quarter-finals, starting with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Anastasia Potapova in the opening round. She then received a walkover against Marta Kostyuk in the Round of 32 before defeating Sorana Cîrstea 6-4, 6-3 in the Round of 16, showcasing her ability to stay focused and control rallies.

Opposite her is 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya, who has carved out an impressive run herself. She opened her campaign with a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1 victory over Peyton Stearns, followed it with a gritty 7-5, 6-4 win against number 5 seed Amanda Anisimova, and then took down 12th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1.

This will be their second career meeting, with Kalinskaya having won their only previous encounter 6-4, 6-4 in the Dubai semifinals earlier last year. Swiatek’s aggressive baseline dominance and consistency will be tested against Kalinskaya’s tactical resilience and ability to hit winners under pressure. Expect a fast-paced clash where Swiatek will need to assert her game early, while Kalinskaya aims to capitalise on any lapses in concentration.

Match Info: Iga Swiatek - Anna Kalinskaya

Start time (local): Fri, 15 Aug, 11:00 AM

Start time (your time): Fri, 15 Aug, 11:00 PM

Court: P&G Center Court

Tournament: Cincinnati Open

Round: Quarterfinal

Head-to-Head

Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka has demonstrated her trademark power and resilience en route to the quarter-finals. She began her campaign with a 7-5, 6–1 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the opening round and then survived a thrilling three-set battle against Emma Raducanu, 7–6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5), in the Round of 32. Most recently, Sabalenka defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-1, 7-5 in the Round of 16, showing both her dominance and ability to close out tighter moments.

Elena Rybakina, the ninth seed, has also been in formidable form. She started with a 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 win over Renata Zarazua in the Round of 64, then edged Elise Mertens 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the Round of 32. In her Round of 16 clash, Rybakina overcame Madison Keys in a nail-biting three-setter, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6–2, showcasing her calm under pressure and big-hitting baseline game.

The two have a long-standing rivalry. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 7-4, including a narrow 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 victory in Berlin 2025. Their matches are consistently close, often decided in three sets or tiebreaks, highlighting how evenly matched their power games and mental resilience are.

This quarter-final promises high-intensity baseline rallies, with Sabalenka looking to dictate with her aggressive strokes and Rybakina aiming to absorb pressure and strike at the right moments. Past encounters suggest it could be decided by just a few crucial points, making for a gripping showdown.

Match Info: Aryna Sabalenka - Elena Rybakina

Start time (local): Fri, 15 Aug, 12:10 PM

Start time (your time): Sat, 16 Aug, 12:10 AM

Court: P&G Center Court

Tournament: Cincinnati Open

Round: Quarterfinal

Head-to-Head

Varvara Gracheva vs Veronika Kudermetova

Varvara Gracheva, coming through the qualifiers, has been in impressive form. She started her main draw campaign with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Katie Volynets, then defeated Sofia Kenin 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-3 in the Round of 64. Gracheva continued her run by overcoming Karolina Muchova 6-2, 6-4 in the Round of 32, before dispatching Ella Seidel 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the Round of 16. Her mix of consistency from the baseline and fighting spirit has made her a difficult opponent for higher-ranked players.