Cincinnati Open: Sabalenka takes six match points to defeat Gibson

What the report says

Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the third round of the Cincinnati Masters after a tense second-round win over Australia’s Talia Gibson in Mason, Ohio, on Sunday. Al Jazeera reported that the world No. 1 needed six match points to finish the job, eventually closing out a 6-2, 7-6(2) victory in just under two hours on a windy Grandstand Court. Gibson saved five match points in the second set before Sabalenka held her nerve in the tiebreak.

Sabalenka said the conditions made the match physically and mentally demanding, and she credited her opponent for raising the pressure on her service games. The win keeps Sabalenka on course for a deep run as she prepares for the US Open, where she is seeking her first Grand Slam title of the year. She won in Cincinnati in 2024 and has already captured three titles in 2026, although none since March.

Elsewhere, reigning Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva also moved on, while Coco Gauff labored to a three-set win and Ben Shelton was upset by Portugal’s Jaime Faria. In the men’s draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime beat former Cincinnati finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5 in his return from a back issue, a useful sign for his US Open buildup.

The results came amid blustery weather and brief rain interruptions that added to the challenge for players at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The tournament is one of the key hard-court events leading into the US Open, so early-round form is being closely watched.