Top seeds Sabalenka, Zverev knocked out of Cincinnati Open

What the report says

Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev were eliminated from the Cincinnati Open during a rainy fourth-round day, according to Al Jazeera’s report published on 20 August 2026. Sabalenka, the world No. 1 from Belarus, was upset by Czech player Sara Bejlek in a match that finished after midnight local time, while Zverev lost to American Tommy Paul after saving and then missing chances in a tense three-set contest.

Bejlek, ranked 35th in the article, won 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 after recovering from a slow start and breaking Sabalenka several times in the second set. The result was described as Bejlek’s first victory over a top-10 opponent and sent her into a quarterfinal against Madison Keys. For Sabalenka, the loss added to a difficult North American hard-court swing ahead of the US Open, which was noted as approaching later in the month.

Zverev’s match against Paul was interrupted multiple times by rain. Paul prevailed 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, with Zverev failing to convert a key chance in the second-set tiebreak and later being broken back after moving ahead in the decider. Al Jazeera also reported exits for other seeded players, including Felix Auger-Aliassime, while Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek advanced on the women’s side.