Venus Williams scored a straight sets upset of 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open on Monday, bagging her first win over a top 20 player in four years.

The 43-year-old American veteran, who was granted a wild card into this week's tournament, rallied superbly to polish off Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose career has spanned four different decades, showed great heart to recover from 4-1 down in the opening set before overturning a 5-1 deficit in the second to seal victory.

"I love this game, it's what I do," Williams said in on-court remarks after her victory against the Russian world number 14.

"The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries," Williams added.&nbsp;

"I want to be able to be out here and be strong, and be myself and that's important to me, and I'm trying to get there."

Williams, a semi-finalist at Cincinnati in 2012, saw her match interrupted by rain before she completed her victory.&nbsp;

In other women's matches on Monday, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens marked her 12th appearance with a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Italian Elisabetta&nbsp;Cocciaretto.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-test-series-loss-in-sa-to-disappointment-in-wi-t20is-team-indias-shocking-lows-in-rahul-dravids-tenure-625379">From colossal failure in SA to WI T20I series loss: Team India's shocking LOWS in Rahul Dravid's tenure</a>

"This (summer) series so far has been tough. D.C., there was rain. Last week, Montreal was rain. This week again, rain," Stephens said.

In the men's draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime won a battle of injury comeback competitors, keeping former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini winless on the Tour since March with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.

Auger-Aliassime, seeded 12th, missed his home Masters last week in Toronto with his injury recovery not&nbsp;yet complete.

Victory snapped a five-match loss streak stretching to the week before Roland Garros in May.

Finn Emil Ruusuvuori beat Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-2.&nbsp;

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will open on Wednesday after a bye against Jordan Thompson, who put out 2013 finalist John Isner 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/2).&nbsp;

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Venus Williams scored a straight sets upset of 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open on Monday, bagging her first win over a top 20 player in four years.

Venus Williams scored a straight sets upset of 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open on Monday, bagging her first win over a top 20 player in four years. The 43-year-old American veteran, who was granted a wild card into this week's tournament, rallied superbly to polish off Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose career has spanned four different decades, showed great heart to recover from 4-1 down in the opening set before overturning a 5-1 deficit in the second to seal victory. "I love this game, it's what I do," Williams said in on-court remarks after her victory against the Russian world number 14. "The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries," Williams added. "I want to be able to be out here and be strong, and be myself and that's important to me, and I'm trying to get there." Williams, a semi-finalist at Cincinnati in 2012, saw her match interrupted by rain before she completed her victory. In other women's matches on Monday, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens marked her 12th appearance with a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto. ALSO READ | From colossal failure in SA to WI T20I series loss: Team India's shocking LOWS in Rahul Dravid's tenure "This (summer) series so far has been tough. D.C., there was rain. Last week, Montreal was rain. This week again, rain," Stephens said. In the men's draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime won a battle of injury comeback competitors, keeping former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini winless on the Tour since March with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory. Auger-Aliassime, seeded 12th, missed his home Masters last week in Toronto with his injury recovery not yet complete. Victory snapped a five-match loss streak stretching to the week before Roland Garros in May. Finn Emil Ruusuvuori beat Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-2. Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will open on Wednesday after a bye against Jordan Thompson, who put out 2013 finalist John Isner 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/2). WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Venus Williams upsets 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova in Cincinnati Open

Andy&nbsp;Murray&nbsp;pulled out of the Cincinnati Open late on Monday as the Briton continues to recover from an abdominal strain in a bid to compete in the U.S. Open that begins later this month. Murray, 36, withdrew from last week's Canadian Open before his round of 16 clash with eventual champion Jannik Sinner due to the issue he picked up after spending nearly five hours on court in wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Max Purcell.

The three-times Grand Slam champion and former world number one travelled to Cincinnati where he hoped to be fit in time to face Russian Karen Khachanov but he will now be replaced by a lucky loser, men's tennis governing body ATP said. Murray&nbsp;is currently number 36 in the world - his highest ranking since hip resurfacing surgery in 2019 - and was named in Britain's Davis Cup team for their Finals group stage ties that will take place after the Aug. 28-Sept. 10 U.S. Open.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-venus-williams-upsets-16th-seed-veroninka-kudermetova-in-cincinnati-open-625571">Tennis: Venus Williams upsets 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova in Cincinnati Open</a>

<h2>Venus Williams upsets Veroninka Kudermetova in Cincinnati Open</h2>

Venus Williams scored a straight sets upset of 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open on Monday, bagging her first win over a top 20 player in four years. The 43-year-old American veteran, who was granted a wild card into this week's tournament, rallied superbly to polish off Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose career has spanned four different decades, showed great heart to recover from 4-1 down in the opening set before overturning a 5-1 deficit in the second to seal victory.

"I love this game, it's what I do," Williams said in on-court remarks after her victory against the Russian world number 14. "The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries," Williams added.&nbsp; "I want to be able to be out here and be strong, and be myself and that's important to me, and I'm trying to get there." Williams, a semi-finalist at Cincinnati in 2012, saw her match interrupted by rain before she completed her victory.&nbsp;

In other women's matches on Monday, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens marked her 12th appearance with a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Italian Elisabetta&nbsp;Cocciaretto. (Inputs from agencies)

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Andy Murray pulled out of the Cincinnati Open late on Monday as the Briton continues to recover from an abdominal strain in a bid to compete in the U.S. Open that begins later this month.

Andy Murray pulled out of the Cincinnati Open late on Monday as the Briton continues to recover from an abdominal strain in a bid to compete in the U.S. Open that begins later this month. Murray, 36, withdrew from last week's Canadian Open before his round of 16 clash with eventual champion Jannik Sinner due to the issue he picked up after spending nearly five hours on court in wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Max Purcell. The three-times Grand Slam champion and former world number one travelled to Cincinnati where he hoped to be fit in time to face Russian Karen Khachanov but he will now be replaced by a lucky loser, men's tennis governing body ATP said. Murray is currently number 36 in the world - his highest ranking since hip resurfacing surgery in 2019 - and was named in Britain's Davis Cup team for their Finals group stage ties that will take place after the Aug. 28-Sept. 10 U.S. Open. Also read: Tennis: Venus Williams upsets 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova in Cincinnati Open Venus Williams upsets Veroninka Kudermetova in Cincinnati Open Venus Williams scored a straight sets upset of 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Open on Monday, bagging her first win over a top 20 player in four years. The 43-year-old American veteran, who was granted a wild card into this week's tournament, rallied superbly to polish off Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose career has spanned four different decades, showed great heart to recover from 4-1 down in the opening set before overturning a 5-1 deficit in the second to seal victory. "I love this game, it's what I do," Williams said in on-court remarks after her victory against the Russian world number 14. "The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries," Williams added. "I want to be able to be out here and be strong, and be myself and that's important to me, and I'm trying to get there." Williams, a semi-finalist at Cincinnati in 2012, saw her match interrupted by rain before she completed her victory. In other women's matches on Monday, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens marked her 12th appearance with a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto. (Inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Abdominal strain forces three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray out of Cincinnati

World No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas recently overcame the challenge presented by Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open. Tsitsipas advanced to the final stage of the Cincinnati Masters by beating the&nbsp;World No. 1 at Centre Court by&nbsp;7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-3.&nbsp;

He admitted that he was forced to play a number of tough shots in order to eventually move past Medvedev. He offered fans some insight into the same while in conversation with the media in the aftermath of their action-packed match.

In addition to an absolutely nail-biting affair between the duo, fans were also offered the opportunity to watch Tsitsipas show off his dancing skills on the court shortly after outplaying Medvedev.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lyudmyla-kichenok-and-jelena-ostapenko-lay-claim-to-womens-doubles-title-at-the-cincinnati-open-508829" hreflang="en">Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko lay claim to women's doubles title at the Cincinnati Open</a>

"There were some difficult shots I had to play a bit more. A few short balls I really took advantage of and came in. A lot of courageous serves and volleys, approaches to the net that definitely gave me that great win today,” Tsitsipas admitted.

“I knew I had to sign up for a difficult task, the third set, it wasn’t going to be easy. He made it very physical and really demanding for me. I just took advantage of some of his missed first serves. I think I had a couple opportunities where it seemed to be going towards my side," he said further.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/looking-forward-to-it-emma-raducanu-determined-to-defend-her-miracle-us-open-title-508368" hreflang="en">'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title</a>

Tsitsipas is currently hurtling towards a clash against&nbsp;Croatia’s Borna Coric, who consolidated his position&nbsp;in the final of the Western and Southern Open by outperforming eighth seed Cameron Norrie of Britain in straight sets&nbsp;at Grandstand.&nbsp;

Should he emerge triumphant at the Cincinnati Masters, Tsiptipas will hope to replicate this success at the forthcoming US Open, which is set to kick off on August 29th.

World No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas recently overcame the challenge presented by Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open. Tsitsipas advanced to the final stage of the Cincinnati Masters by beating the World No.

World No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas recently overcame the challenge presented by Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open. Tsitsipas advanced to the final stage of the Cincinnati Masters by beating the World No. 1 at Centre Court by 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 6-3. He admitted that he was forced to play a number of tough shots in order to eventually move past Medvedev. He offered fans some insight into the same while in conversation with the media in the aftermath of their action-packed match. In addition to an absolutely nail-biting affair between the duo, fans were also offered the opportunity to watch Tsitsipas show off his dancing skills on the court shortly after outplaying Medvedev. ALSO READ: Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko lay claim to women's doubles title at the Cincinnati Open "There were some difficult shots I had to play a bit more. A few short balls I really took advantage of and came in. A lot of courageous serves and volleys, approaches to the net that definitely gave me that great win today,” Tsitsipas admitted. “I knew I had to sign up for a difficult task, the third set, it wasn’t going to be easy. He made it very physical and really demanding for me. I just took advantage of some of his missed first serves. I think I had a couple opportunities where it seemed to be going towards my side," he said further. ALSO READ: 'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title Tsitsipas is currently hurtling towards a clash against Croatia’s Borna Coric, who consolidated his position in the final of the Western and Southern Open by outperforming eighth seed Cameron Norrie of Britain in straight sets at Grandstand. Should he emerge triumphant at the Cincinnati Masters, Tsiptipas will hope to replicate this success at the forthcoming US Open, which is set to kick off on August 29th.

'Made it very physical'- Stefanos Tsitsipas delighted by beating Daniil Medvedev at Cincinnati Open

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko continued a powerful season by winning their biggest team title so far at the Western and Southern Open on Saturday.

Kichenok and Ostapenko defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez 7-6(5), 6-3 in one hour and 24 minutes to capture the WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/looking-forward-to-it-emma-raducanu-determined-to-defend-her-miracle-us-open-title-508368" hreflang="en">'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title</a>

After finally getting on the court after multiple rain delays, it was the Melichar-Martinez and Perez duo who originally held the upper hand, breaking Ostapenko in the first game of the match and building a 4-2 lead.

Kichenok and Ostapenko, though, got back on serve at 4-4.In the tiebreak, a powerful Ostapenko return gave her team a duo of set points, and Kichenok and Ostapenko transformed the second of the two to eke out the one-set lead.

There were no break points through 3-3 in the second set, but after that, Kichenok and Ostapenko cruised to the title, winning the final four games of the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/daniil-medvedev-breaks-into-the-final-four-of-cincinnati-open-as-wimbledon-champion-elena-rybakina-tumbles-out-508651" hreflang="en">Daniil Medvedev breaks into the final four of Cincinnati Open as Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina tumbles out</a>

"It`s my biggest title and I`m very happy," Kichenok said after the match. "It`s hard to describe, it`s amazing. I just can`t find the words. I`m still a bit shaky after the match, it`s very exciting," she added.

"It doesn`t matter what the score is, [the key was] to be aggressive and to put pressure on them," WTA.com quoted Ostapenko. "That was a thing they didn`t like, and it helped us in the important moments," she added.

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko continued a powerful season by winning their biggest team title so far at the Western and Southern Open on Saturday. Kichenok and Ostapenko defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez 7-6(5), 6-3 in one hour and 24 minutes to capture the WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati.

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko continued a powerful season by winning their biggest team title so far at the Western and Southern Open on Saturday. Kichenok and Ostapenko defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez 7-6(5), 6-3 in one hour and 24 minutes to capture the WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati. ALSO READ: 'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title After finally getting on the court after multiple rain delays, it was the Melichar-Martinez and Perez duo who originally held the upper hand, breaking Ostapenko in the first game of the match and building a 4-2 lead. Kichenok and Ostapenko, though, got back on serve at 4-4.In the tiebreak, a powerful Ostapenko return gave her team a duo of set points, and Kichenok and Ostapenko transformed the second of the two to eke out the one-set lead. There were no break points through 3-3 in the second set, but after that, Kichenok and Ostapenko cruised to the title, winning the final four games of the match. ALSO READ: Daniil Medvedev breaks into the final four of Cincinnati Open as Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina tumbles out "It`s my biggest title and I`m very happy," Kichenok said after the match. "It`s hard to describe, it`s amazing. I just can`t find the words. I`m still a bit shaky after the match, it`s very exciting," she added. "It doesn`t matter what the score is, [the key was] to be aggressive and to put pressure on them," WTA.com quoted Ostapenko. "That was a thing they didn`t like, and it helped us in the important moments," she added.

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko lay claim to women's doubles title at the Cincinnati Open

Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos&nbsp;Tsitsipas advanced to a semi-final showdown after both dismissed&nbsp;American opponents at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati&nbsp;Masters&nbsp;on Friday. Top seed Medvedev fired 18 aces among 30 winners in a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 defeat of Taylor Fritz in their Friday quarter-final.

Tsitsipas, semi-finalist at the last two editions, weathered a brief first-set rain interruption on the way to his 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-3, defeat of John Isner, playing here for the 15th time at age 37 and the oldest quarter-finalist since 1969.

In the bottom half of the draw, Croat Borna Coric crushed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-4 to set up a semi-final against Britain's Cameron Norrie, who had to work for more than three hours for a 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 defeat of Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aryna-sabalenka-outplays-zhang-shuai-to-make-her-way-into-semi-finals-at-cincinnati-open-508642" hreflang="en">Aryna Sabalenka outplays Zhang Shuai to make her way into semi-finals at Cincinnati Open</a>

The tight battle ended just before midnight as Norrie completed what he called one of his best career wins.&nbsp;He stumbled leading a set and 4-1 as Alcaraz pushed back, winning the second set to level the match.

"I was thinking too much about the finish line," the winner said. "I got tight and he raised his level. I had to take my time or the match could have gotten away from me...I managed to turn it around."

Greek fourth seed Tsitsipas was relieved to have passed his examination by Isner.

"It's never easy to play him, due to all his variations of play," Tsitsipas said. "The most important thing is to stay patient. The match came down to a few points. I was able to hang in there and make one more ball - he didn't give me a lot to work with."&nbsp;

Tsitsipas added: "Against Medvedev, I need to be concentrated and approach my game in a precise manner. "I will let my&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;do the talking."&nbsp;

Medvedev, the 2019 tournament winner, strengthened his grip on the world number one ranking at the last major tune-up prior to the US Open, earning his victory over 11th seed Fritz in one hour,&nbsp;40 minutes.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-no-1-daniil-medvedev-outclasses-denis-shapovalov-to-enter-the-quarter-finals-of-cincinnati-masters-508445" hreflang="en">World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev outclasses Denis Shapovalov to enter the quarter finals of Cincinnati Masters</a>

"The second set was much&nbsp;better than the first," Medvedev said. "Taylor is a great player,&nbsp;from the baseline he didn't&nbsp;give you much space. "He was hitting the ball strong, making a&nbsp;lot of good points. "But I'm&nbsp;happy with my level. If I can continue&nbsp;to play this way and raise my level during matches&nbsp;I can beat anybody," added Medvedev, who leads semi-final opponent Tsitsipas 7-2 in head-to-head meetings.

<h2>- Keys downs Rybakina -</h2>

In the women's quarter-finals, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina saved three match points before falling 6-2, 6-4 to Madison Keys.&nbsp;The Kazakh, who lifted the All England Club trophy last month against the odds, exited the pre-US Open event in 92 minutes as she went down to the American titleholder from 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Elena is a remarkable player who can turn a match around at any moment," unseeded Keys said. "I needed to stay out front.&nbsp;It felt like I needed 12 match points, so I'm very happy to get the win," added Keys who on Thursday ousted world number one Iga Swiatek.&nbsp;

Keys next plays&nbsp;Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion who defeated Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2, 6-3.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka ended the dream run of Zhang Shuai with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/1), defeat after the Chinese player had put out Naomi Osaka and second seed Anett Kontaveit.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/looking-forward-to-it-emma-raducanu-determined-to-defend-her-miracle-us-open-title-508368" hreflang="en">'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title</a>

Sabalenka plays for the final against qualifier Caroline Garcia, who defeated American Jessica Pegula, the winner over US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the previous round, 6-1, 7-5 in 74 minutes.&nbsp;

The French winner leads the Tour with 25 main-draw victories since June; she was the first from her nation to play a Cincinnati quarter-final since Marion Bartoli 12 years ago.&nbsp;

"I had the worst warmup of the week today," Garcia said. "But that doesn't mean you will play badly. "I was able to play the aggressive style that I like. I hit very freely against a solid opponent. I had to play my best today to beat Jessica. I did it and I'm very happy I got the win."

Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to a semi-final showdown after both dismissed American opponents at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters on Friday.

Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to a semi-final showdown after both dismissed American opponents at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters on Friday. Top seed Medvedev fired 18 aces among 30 winners in a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 defeat of Taylor Fritz in their Friday quarter-final. Tsitsipas, semi-finalist at the last two editions, weathered a brief first-set rain interruption on the way to his 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-3, defeat of John Isner, playing here for the 15th time at age 37 and the oldest quarter-finalist since 1969. In the bottom half of the draw, Croat Borna Coric crushed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-4 to set up a semi-final against Britain's Cameron Norrie, who had to work for more than three hours for a 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 defeat of Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz. ALSO READ: Aryna Sabalenka outplays Zhang Shuai to make her way into semi-finals at Cincinnati Open The tight battle ended just before midnight as Norrie completed what he called one of his best career wins. He stumbled leading a set and 4-1 as Alcaraz pushed back, winning the second set to level the match. "I was thinking too much about the finish line," the winner said. "I got tight and he raised his level. I had to take my time or the match could have gotten away from me...I managed to turn it around." Greek fourth seed Tsitsipas was relieved to have passed his examination by Isner. "It's never easy to play him, due to all his variations of play," Tsitsipas said. "The most important thing is to stay patient. The match came down to a few points. I was able to hang in there and make one more ball - he didn't give me a lot to work with." Tsitsipas added: "Against Medvedev, I need to be concentrated and approach my game in a precise manner. "I will let my tennis do the talking." Medvedev, the 2019 tournament winner, strengthened his grip on the world number one ranking at the last major tune-up prior to the US Open, earning his victory over 11th seed Fritz in one hour, 40 minutes. ALSO READ: World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev outclasses Denis Shapovalov to enter the quarter finals of Cincinnati Masters "The second set was much better than the first," Medvedev said. "Taylor is a great player, from the baseline he didn't give you much space. "He was hitting the ball strong, making a lot of good points. "But I'm happy with my level. If I can continue to play this way and raise my level during matches I can beat anybody," added Medvedev, who leads semi-final opponent Tsitsipas 7-2 in head-to-head meetings. - Keys downs Rybakina - In the women's quarter-finals, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina saved three match points before falling 6-2, 6-4 to Madison Keys. The Kazakh, who lifted the All England Club trophy last month against the odds, exited the pre-US Open event in 92 minutes as she went down to the American titleholder from 2019. "Elena is a remarkable player who can turn a match around at any moment," unseeded Keys said. "I needed to stay out front. It felt like I needed 12 match points, so I'm very happy to get the win," added Keys who on Thursday ousted world number one Iga Swiatek. Keys next plays Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion who defeated Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2, 6-3. Second seed Aryna Sabalenka ended the dream run of Zhang Shuai with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/1), defeat after the Chinese player had put out Naomi Osaka and second seed Anett Kontaveit. ALSO READ: 'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title Sabalenka plays for the final against qualifier Caroline Garcia, who defeated American Jessica Pegula, the winner over US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the previous round, 6-1, 7-5 in 74 minutes. The French winner leads the Tour with 25 main-draw victories since June; she was the first from her nation to play a Cincinnati quarter-final since Marion Bartoli 12 years ago. "I had the worst warmup of the week today," Garcia said. "But that doesn't mean you will play badly. "I was able to play the aggressive style that I like. I hit very freely against a solid opponent. I had to play my best today to beat Jessica. I did it and I'm very happy I got the win."

Daniil Medvedev breaks into the final four of Cincinnati Open as Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina tumbles out

World No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus relied on her strong return of serve to overcome the challenge of China`s Zhang Shuai 6-4, 7-6(1) and make her maiden hard-court semifinal in nearly a year at the Western &amp; Southern Open here.

The strong Belarusian beat Zhang for the fourth time in five meetings, including a second time this year, in 1 hour, 49 minutes.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-no-1-daniil-medvedev-outclasses-denis-shapovalov-to-enter-the-quarter-finals-of-cincinnati-masters-508445" hreflang="en">World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev outclasses Denis Shapovalov to enter the quarter finals of Cincinnati Masters</a>

All five matches between the two have been decided in straight sets, and to do so this time, Sabalenka needed to fight back from several deficits. She won the first set from a break down at 4-3, and was also a break down four times in the second set.

This is the 24-year-old Sabalenka`s first hard-court semifinal since last year`s US Open, and her second last-four in Cincinnati having first reached the stage in 2018.

"It was a tough match and she played unbelievable tennis," Sabalenka was quoted as saying by wtatennis.com following the win. "I`m super happy that, even if my serve didn`t work well in the second set, I was able to stay focused in return games. I did everything I could to stay focused in return games."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/looking-forward-to-it-emma-raducanu-determined-to-defend-her-miracle-us-open-title-508368" hreflang="en">'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title</a>

Sabalenka will look to secure a place in the third final of the season, after finishing second best to Iga Swiatek at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart and to Veronika Kudermetova at the Libema Open on grass. To reach the final, she`ll have to beat either No.7 seed Jessica Pegula or Caroline Garcia.

World No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus relied on her strong return of serve to overcome the challenge of China`s Zhang Shuai 6-4, 7-6(1) and make her maiden hard-court semifinal in nearly a year at the Western & Southern Open here.

World No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus relied on her strong return of serve to overcome the challenge of China`s Zhang Shuai 6-4, 7-6(1) and make her maiden hard-court semifinal in nearly a year at the Western & Southern Open here. The strong Belarusian beat Zhang for the fourth time in five meetings, including a second time this year, in 1 hour, 49 minutes. ALSO READ: World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev outclasses Denis Shapovalov to enter the quarter finals of Cincinnati Masters All five matches between the two have been decided in straight sets, and to do so this time, Sabalenka needed to fight back from several deficits. She won the first set from a break down at 4-3, and was also a break down four times in the second set. This is the 24-year-old Sabalenka`s first hard-court semifinal since last year`s US Open, and her second last-four in Cincinnati having first reached the stage in 2018. "It was a tough match and she played unbelievable tennis," Sabalenka was quoted as saying by wtatennis.com following the win. "I`m super happy that, even if my serve didn`t work well in the second set, I was able to stay focused in return games. I did everything I could to stay focused in return games." ALSO READ: 'Looking forward to it' - Emma Raducanu determined to defend her US Open title Sabalenka will look to secure a place in the third final of the season, after finishing second best to Iga Swiatek at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart and to Veronika Kudermetova at the Libema Open on grass. To reach the final, she`ll have to beat either No.7 seed Jessica Pegula or Caroline Garcia.

Aryna Sabalenka outplays Zhang Shuai to make her way into semi-finals at Cincinnati Open

Borna Coric of Croatia on Wednesday produced a stunning performance to end Rafael Nadal's run after a&nbsp;hard fought battle at the Western and Southern Open and advance to the third round in Cincinnati Open.

Coric spoiled the return of the Spaniard after a five-year absence from the ATP Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday with a 7-6 (11/9), 4-6, 6-3 upset in the second round. The Croatian fought for two hours, 51 minutes to secure his biggest win of the season by both opponent and stage.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cincinnati-masters-daniil-medvedev-downs-van-de-zandschulp-to-enter-r3-carlos-alcaraz-defeats-mcdonald-507726" hreflang="en">Cincinnati Masters: Daniil Medvedev downs Van de Zandschulp to enter R3; Carlos Alcaraz defeats McDonald</a>

Both players opened confidently, the Spaniard made a remarkably strong start, playing shots into a down-the-line backhand on the very first point and not making an unforced error until the seventh game.

With Nadal double-faulting on Coric's third set point, the Croatian made amends after a clumsy drop shot on a short ball at 9/8. He supported the breakthrough with a love hold and had no problems serving out the match after extending his final service game with a statement winner to cap a victory.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serena-williams-beaten-by-raducanu-at-wta-cincinnati-masters-507593" hreflang="en">Serena Williams beaten by Raducanu at WTA Cincinnati Masters</a>

He will next face Roberto Bautista Agut, who cruised to the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against home hope Marcos Giron earlier on Wednesday.

"It`s going to be a very interesting match," said Coric, who holds a 5-4 ATP Head2Head series lead against the Spaniard. "I need to be very aggressive for sure, especially because I was playing for a very long time today and I also finished very late. So I'm going to be even more aggressive probably," he added.&nbsp;

Borna Coric of Croatia on Wednesday produced a stunning performance to end Rafael Nadal's run after a hard fought battle at the Western and Southern Open and advance to the third round in Cincinnati Open.

Borna Coric of Croatia on Wednesday produced a stunning performance to end Rafael Nadal's run after a hard fought battle at the Western and Southern Open and advance to the third round in Cincinnati Open. Coric spoiled the return of the Spaniard after a five-year absence from the ATP Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday with a 7-6 (11/9), 4-6, 6-3 upset in the second round. The Croatian fought for two hours, 51 minutes to secure his biggest win of the season by both opponent and stage. ALSO READ: Cincinnati Masters: Daniil Medvedev downs Van de Zandschulp to enter R3; Carlos Alcaraz defeats McDonald Both players opened confidently, the Spaniard made a remarkably strong start, playing shots into a down-the-line backhand on the very first point and not making an unforced error until the seventh game. With Nadal double-faulting on Coric's third set point, the Croatian made amends after a clumsy drop shot on a short ball at 9/8. He supported the breakthrough with a love hold and had no problems serving out the match after extending his final service game with a statement winner to cap a victory. ALSO READ: Serena Williams beaten by Raducanu at WTA Cincinnati Masters He will next face Roberto Bautista Agut, who cruised to the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against home hope Marcos Giron earlier on Wednesday. "It`s going to be a very interesting match," said Coric, who holds a 5-4 ATP Head2Head series lead against the Spaniard. "I need to be very aggressive for sure, especially because I was playing for a very long time today and I also finished very late. So I'm going to be even more aggressive probably," he added.

Borna Coric ends his idol Rafael Nadal's run at the Cincinnati Open in shock upset

Rafael Nadal made his way back to the Western &amp; Southern Open for the first time in five years and, with his short stint in the tournament, he reminded fans why waiting for the 2013 champion's return for so long&nbsp;was time well spent. However, the World No. 12 Borna Coric was his undoing as he was forced to bow out of the ATP Masters 1000 event after a gruelling battle that lasted nearly three hours.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/borna-coric-ends-his-idol-rafael-nadals-run-at-the-cincinnati-open-in-a-shock-upset-508039" hreflang="en">Borna Coric ends his idol Rafael Nadal's run at the Cincinnati Open in a shock upset</a>

Featuring in his first match after he was forced to pull out of the Wimbledon semi-finals against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal tear, the Spaniard succumbed to a&nbsp;7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 loss at the hands of the Croatian as he struggled with consistency, which carried him to&nbsp;four tour-level titles this season.&nbsp;

Although an issue forced the 36-year-old to pull out of last week's&nbsp;ATP Masters event in Montreal, it did not prove to be an issue against Coric. In turn, he attributed his loss to a severe lack of court time. Furthermore,&nbsp;in the aftermath of tumbling out of the Cincinnati Open, Nadal admitted that he is determined to put on a better show at the forthcoming US Open.

"I need to move forward and just start to think about the energy that the crowd gives me in New York," he said. "I know it's a very special place for me, and I enjoy it. [I've had] unforgettable moments there, and I'm going to try my very best every single day to be ready for that."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cincinnati-masters-daniil-medvedev-downs-van-de-zandschulp-to-enter-r3-carlos-alcaraz-defeats-mcdonald-507726" hreflang="en">Cincinnati Masters: Daniil Medvedev downs Van de Zandschulp to enter R3; Carlos Alcaraz defeats McDonald</a>

Nadal has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success at&nbsp;Flushing Meadows, walking away with the title on four different occasions, with his latest title coming in 2019. He will hope&nbsp;to replicate his success at the US Open as he prepares to take his tally up to five. The US Open action is set to unfold from August 29th.&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal made his way back to the Western & Southern Open for the first time in five years and, with his short stint in the tournament, he reminded fans why waiting for the 2013 champion's return for so long was time well spent.

Rafael Nadal made his way back to the Western & Southern Open for the first time in five years and, with his short stint in the tournament, he reminded fans why waiting for the 2013 champion's return for so long was time well spent. However, the World No. 12 Borna Coric was his undoing as he was forced to bow out of the ATP Masters 1000 event after a gruelling battle that lasted nearly three hours. ALSO READ: Borna Coric ends his idol Rafael Nadal's run at the Cincinnati Open in a shock upset Featuring in his first match after he was forced to pull out of the Wimbledon semi-finals against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal tear, the Spaniard succumbed to a 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3 loss at the hands of the Croatian as he struggled with consistency, which carried him to four tour-level titles this season. Although an issue forced the 36-year-old to pull out of last week's ATP Masters event in Montreal, it did not prove to be an issue against Coric. In turn, he attributed his loss to a severe lack of court time. Furthermore, in the aftermath of tumbling out of the Cincinnati Open, Nadal admitted that he is determined to put on a better show at the forthcoming US Open. "I need to move forward and just start to think about the energy that the crowd gives me in New York," he said. "I know it's a very special place for me, and I enjoy it. [I've had] unforgettable moments there, and I'm going to try my very best every single day to be ready for that." ALSO READ: Cincinnati Masters: Daniil Medvedev downs Van de Zandschulp to enter R3; Carlos Alcaraz defeats McDonald Nadal has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success at Flushing Meadows, walking away with the title on four different occasions, with his latest title coming in 2019. He will hope to replicate his success at the US Open as he prepares to take his tally up to five. The US Open action is set to unfold from August 29th.

'I need to move forward'- Rafael Nadal trains his aim at US Open following loss against Borna Coric

During the ongoing Cincinnati Open, a huge controversy erupted recently. A fan draped herself in a Ukrainian flag and was asked to remove it after objection from a Russian athlete.&nbsp;The incident occurred&nbsp;during a qualifying match between Russian players Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Potapova.&nbsp;

Thus, when a spectator was spotted with a Ukraine flag, the officials asked her to remove following a complaint from a Russian player. The incident grabbed a lot of eyeballs and the video of the chair umpire's interaction with the fan has also gone viral on social media platforms. Here's the video:

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...but after the Russian player complained to the umpire, the umpire descended from her chair and confronted the fan about her presence with the flag, telling her it was "not nice"...to be sitting with the flag. 
 
Lola responded that it was "not nice to invade a country."
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1559251920342106112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Video of some of this incident surfaced hours later on social media, via <a href="https://twitter.com/TrashyTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trashytennis</a><a href="https://t.co/bYlFL38L9X">pic.twitter.com/bYlFL38L9X</a>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-not-play-more-than-what-i-believe-works-well-for-my-body-rafael-nadal-opens-up-on-his-abdominal-injury-507161">Will not play more than what I believe works well for my body: Rafael Nadal opens up on his abdominal injury</a>

Following her interaction with chair umpire, the fan left the court and was&nbsp;reportedly approached by the head of security too, informing&nbsp;her the flag was above the allowed size.

Issuing a clarification on the whole matter, a spokesperson for the tournament said in a statement, “Per the Western &amp; Southern Open’s bag policy, as stated on the tournament’s website, flags or banners larger than 18 x 18 are prohibited. Therefore, the patron was asked to remove the flag from the grounds and after doing so was allowed to remain at the tournament."

“Any inquiries about the chair umpire should be directed to the WTA Tour,” it further added. So far, there has been no reaction from the WTA on the incident. However, many fans have lashed out at the officials for asking the spectator to remove her country's flag.&nbsp;

Russia and Ukraine have been involved in a war following Vladamir Putin's decision&nbsp;of invading&nbsp;the European country. To date, there has been no resolution to the conflict.

During the ongoing Cincinnati Open, a huge controversy erupted recently. A fan draped herself in a Ukrainian flag and was asked to remove it after objection from a Russian athlete.

During the ongoing Cincinnati Open, a huge controversy erupted recently. A fan draped herself in a Ukrainian flag and was asked to remove it after objection from a Russian athlete. The incident occurred during a qualifying match between Russian players Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Potapova. Thus, when a spectator was spotted with a Ukraine flag, the officials asked her to remove following a complaint from a Russian player. The incident grabbed a lot of eyeballs and the video of the chair umpire's interaction with the fan has also gone viral on social media platforms. Here's the video: ...but after the Russian player complained to the umpire, the umpire descended from her chair and confronted the fan about her presence with the flag, telling her it was "not nice"...to be sitting with the flag. Lola responded that it was "not nice to invade a country." — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 15, 2022 × Video of some of this incident surfaced hours later on social media, via @trashytennispic.twitter.com/bYlFL38L9X — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 15, 2022 × ALSO READ | Will not play more than what I believe works well for my body: Rafael Nadal opens up on his abdominal injury Following her interaction with chair umpire, the fan left the court and was reportedly approached by the head of security too, informing her the flag was above the allowed size. Issuing a clarification on the whole matter, a spokesperson for the tournament said in a statement, “Per the Western & Southern Open’s bag policy, as stated on the tournament’s website, flags or banners larger than 18 x 18 are prohibited. Therefore, the patron was asked to remove the flag from the grounds and after doing so was allowed to remain at the tournament." “Any inquiries about the chair umpire should be directed to the WTA Tour,” it further added. So far, there has been no reaction from the WTA on the incident. However, many fans have lashed out at the officials for asking the spectator to remove her country's flag. Russia and Ukraine have been involved in a war following Vladamir Putin's decision of invading the European country. To date, there has been no resolution to the conflict.

Controversy erupts after spectator asked to remove Ukraine flag at Cincinnati Open by officials - WATCH

Rafael Nadal has been unstoppable so far this season and has been enjoying a stellar run on the court having already won two Grand Slam titles and missing out closely on a third straight Grand Slam final appearance this year. The Spaniard had to pull out of the Wimbledon 2022 semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal injury.

Nadal looked on course to reach his third straight Grand Slam final this year after he defeated Taylor Fritz in the quarters. However, he ended up suffering a tear in his abdomen and had to pull out of the semi-final clash against Kyrgios, who went on to lose against Novak Djokovic in the final.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion recently opened up on his abdominal injury ahead of the upcoming Cincinnati Open and said he is aware of putting too much pressure on his body. Nadal said he doesn't want to play more than what is good for his body.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/spains-pablo-carreno-busta-defeats-hubert-hurkacz-to-clinch-montreal-title-507048">Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta defeats Hubert Hurkacz to clinch Montreal title</a>

"The main thing is to stay healthy and play the events that I want to play. I will not play more than what I believe works well for my body. I am happy to be back in Cincinnati after a couple of years without the chance of being able to be here. I had a small tear in the abdomen, so it is dangerous," Nadal told reporters ahead of the start of the&nbsp;Cincinnati Open.

"The abdominal is a place that is dangerous because on every serve you put a lot of effort there. I am trying to do things properly, trying to be a bit more conservative. I hope I can be ready for the action here. I want to play tennis again on the Tour. I am having a good season and I am enjoying it. I want to enjoy this week in Cincinnati," he added.

The world no.3 had a brilliant start to the year as he went on to win the Australian Open title to clinch his 21st Grand Slam crown and move past his arch-rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the list of male players with most Grand Slams. He extended his lead further after his dominant victory at the French Open 2022.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/simona-halep-battles-past-beatriz-haddad-maia-to-clinch-toronto-title-507104">Simona Halep battles past Beatriz Haddad Maia to clinch Toronto title</a>

Djokovic then managed to close the gap on Nadal at the Wimbledon 2022 after the Spaniard had to pull out of his semi-final meeting against Kyrgios. Djokovic defeated the Australian star in the final to notch up his 21st Grand Slam crown and now stands just one title away from equalling Nadal.

Rafael Nadal has been unstoppable so far this season and has been enjoying a stellar run on the court having already won two Grand Slam titles and missing out closely on a third straight Grand Slam final appearance this year.

Rafael Nadal has been unstoppable so far this season and has been enjoying a stellar run on the court having already won two Grand Slam titles and missing out closely on a third straight Grand Slam final appearance this year. The Spaniard had to pull out of the Wimbledon 2022 semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal injury. Nadal looked on course to reach his third straight Grand Slam final this year after he defeated Taylor Fritz in the quarters. However, he ended up suffering a tear in his abdomen and had to pull out of the semi-final clash against Kyrgios, who went on to lose against Novak Djokovic in the final. The 22-time Grand Slam champion recently opened up on his abdominal injury ahead of the upcoming Cincinnati Open and said he is aware of putting too much pressure on his body. Nadal said he doesn't want to play more than what is good for his body. Also Read: Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta defeats Hubert Hurkacz to clinch Montreal title "The main thing is to stay healthy and play the events that I want to play. I will not play more than what I believe works well for my body. I am happy to be back in Cincinnati after a couple of years without the chance of being able to be here. I had a small tear in the abdomen, so it is dangerous," Nadal told reporters ahead of the start of the Cincinnati Open. "The abdominal is a place that is dangerous because on every serve you put a lot of effort there. I am trying to do things properly, trying to be a bit more conservative. I hope I can be ready for the action here. I want to play tennis again on the Tour. I am having a good season and I am enjoying it. I want to enjoy this week in Cincinnati," he added. The world no.3 had a brilliant start to the year as he went on to win the Australian Open title to clinch his 21st Grand Slam crown and move past his arch-rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the list of male players with most Grand Slams. He extended his lead further after his dominant victory at the French Open 2022. Also Read: Simona Halep battles past Beatriz Haddad Maia to clinch Toronto title Djokovic then managed to close the gap on Nadal at the Wimbledon 2022 after the Spaniard had to pull out of his semi-final meeting against Kyrgios. Djokovic defeated the Australian star in the final to notch up his 21st Grand Slam crown and now stands just one title away from equalling Nadal.

Will not play more than what I believe works well for my body: Rafael Nadal opens up on his abdominal injury

Fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan battled back to beat Karolina Muchova 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2 on Monday and reach the third round of the Western &amp; Southern Open.

Osaka, ranked 10th in the world, was playing her first match since the WTA resumed after a coronavirus hiatus.

The tournament was moved this year from Cincinnati to the National Tennis Center in New York to allow players to enter the same quarantine bubble that will be in effect for the US Open starting on August 31.

Osaka will face another tough challenge in the third round against 16th-seeded Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, who beat American Bernarda Pera 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3 on Monday after downing seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in the first round.

Fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan battled back to beat Karolina Muchova 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2 on Monday and reach the third round of the Western & Southern Open. Osaka, ranked 10th in the world, was playing her first match since the WTA resumed after a coronavirus hiatus.

Fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan battled back to beat Karolina Muchova 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2 on Monday and reach the third round of the Western & Southern Open. Osaka, ranked 10th in the world, was playing her first match since the WTA resumed after a coronavirus hiatus. The tournament was moved this year from Cincinnati to the National Tennis Center in New York to allow players to enter the same quarantine bubble that will be in effect for the US Open starting on August 31. Osaka will face another tough challenge in the third round against 16th-seeded Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, who beat American Bernarda Pera 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3 on Monday after downing seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in the first round.

Osaka rallies to reach third round of 'Cincy in New York'

Russia's Andrey Rublev said "it is impossible to explain" after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/roger-federer-stunned-by-russian-qualifier-rublev-in-cincinnati-243287">defeating Roger Federer</a> in the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.&nbsp;

The Russian qualifier beat 20-time Grand slam champion 6-3, 6-4 and hailed the former world number one as a "true legend".&nbsp;

It was Federer's quickest defeat since losing to Franco Squillari in 54 minutes in Sydney in 2003.&nbsp;

"It is impossible to explain. I don't know. I mean, the way even how he (Roger Federer) finished the match, it was so amazing," said Rublev.&nbsp;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/AndreyRublev97?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndreyRublev97</a> "What a match against a true legend🙏❤️ a big honour for me🙏🙏❤️🎾 <a href="https://twitter.com/CincyTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CincyTennis</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATPTour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ATPTour</a> <a href="https://t.co/l7WGBVChvu">pic.twitter.com/l7WGBVChvu</a>
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🇨🇭 <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerfederer</a> reacts to his loss against Andrey Rublev at <a href="https://twitter.com/CincyTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CincyTennis</a>. 💭
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Rublev couldn't put his emotions into words after the match and said, "I told him it was a big honour and he said 'no worries'. The way he did it, it was amazing."&nbsp;

"Now I feel that he is a true legend and that is what my feeling inside is," Rublev said.&nbsp;

Rublev’s win sets up an all-Russian quarter-final with ninth seed Daniil Medvedev.&nbsp;

Russia's Andrey Rublev said "it is impossible to explain" after defeating Roger Federer in the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday. The Russian qualifier beat 20-time Grand slam champion 6-3, 6-4 and hailed the former world number one as a "true legend".

Russia's Andrey Rublev said "it is impossible to explain" after defeating Roger Federer in the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday. The Russian qualifier beat 20-time Grand slam champion 6-3, 6-4 and hailed the former world number one as a "true legend". It was Federer's quickest defeat since losing to Franco Squillari in 54 minutes in Sydney in 2003. "It is impossible to explain. I don't know. I mean, the way even how he (Roger Federer) finished the match, it was so amazing," said Rublev. .@AndreyRublev97 "What a match against a true legend🙏❤️ a big honour for me🙏🙏❤️🎾 @CincyTennis | #ATPTour pic.twitter.com/l7WGBVChvu — ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) August 16, 2019 × 🇨🇭 @rogerfederer reacts to his loss against Andrey Rublev at @CincyTennis. 💭 — ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) August 15, 2019 × Rublev couldn't put his emotions into words after the match and said, "I told him it was a big honour and he said 'no worries'. The way he did it, it was amazing." "Now I feel that he is a true legend and that is what my feeling inside is," Rublev said. Rublev’s win sets up an all-Russian quarter-final with ninth seed Daniil Medvedev.

'It is impossible to explain, he is a true legend,' says Rublev after defeating Federer

Grigor Dimitrov beat big-hitting <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/del-potro-makes-winning-return-to-cincinnati-19046">Argentine Juan Martin del Potro for the first time</a> in six career attempts to book a place in the last eight at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.

The seventh-seeded Bulgarian advanced to his eighth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Del Potro, who struggled with the intense heat in the closing stages of the one hour, 39-minute match.

&quot;He&#39;s a tricky opponent... a super-experienced player,&quot; said Dimitrov.

&quot;I definitely had to stay away a little bit from that forehand. I knew if I kept the ball low on his backhand side and just kind of worked my way into the court, it would be the right thing to do. I think I did this thing very, very well today.&quot;

Dimitrov will bid for a place in the semi-finals for the second straight year when he faces Japan&#39;s Yuichi Sugita, who reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.

The unseeded Sugita overcame Russian Karen Khachanov 6-7(0) 6-3 6-3 before a thunderstorm forced play to be suspended for more than two hours.

The 28-year-old Japanese captured his first ATP World Tour title at the Antalya Open in July, adding to three ATP Challenger Tour events won in 2017.

&quot;He&#39;s been playing really well,&quot; said Dimitrov. &quot;He&#39;s going to be definitely a tough opponent to play.&quot;

Dimitrov got off to a great start by opening up a 3-0 lead against Del Potro.&nbsp;Del Potro mirrored Dimitrov by winning the first three games of the second set but could not convert three set point chances at 5-4, before the Argentine began to struggle in the heat.

A doctor was called at the 6-5 change over, but Del Potro was determined to finish the match. &nbsp;Dimitrov improved to 31-14 for the season, which includes two ATP World Tour titles.

In later games, John Isner never dropped a service game on his way to a 7-6(4) 7-5 win over fellow American Frances Tiafoe.

Isner rocketed two aces to close out the match and punch his card to the quarter-finals, where he will face another American in Jared Donaldson.

Donaldson, who defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets on Thursday, will be one of four unseeded players in the quarters following a series of upsets early in the tournament.

Third seed Dominic Thiem needed two tie breakers to dispatch France&#39;s Adrian Mannarino 7-6(4) 7-6(3) and set up a meeting with Spain&#39;s David Ferrer, who upset 11th-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4 6-4.

Rain put a halt of Australian Nick Kyrgios&#39; match against Ivo Karlovic with the Croatian leading 4-3 in the first set.

Wet weather also postponed the start of top-seeded Rafael Nadal&#39;s match against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas.

The seventh-seeded Bulgarian advanced to his eighth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Del Potro

Grigor Dimitrov beat big-hitting Argentine Juan Martin del Potro for the first time in six career attempts to book a place in the last eight at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday. The seventh-seeded Bulgarian advanced to his eighth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Del Potro, who struggled with the intense heat in the closing stages of the one hour, 39-minute match. "He's a tricky opponent... a super-experienced player," said Dimitrov. "I definitely had to stay away a little bit from that forehand. I knew if I kept the ball low on his backhand side and just kind of worked my way into the court, it would be the right thing to do. I think I did this thing very, very well today." Dimitrov will bid for a place in the semi-finals for the second straight year when he faces Japan's Yuichi Sugita, who reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final. The unseeded Sugita overcame Russian Karen Khachanov 6-7(0) 6-3 6-3 before a thunderstorm forced play to be suspended for more than two hours. The 28-year-old Japanese captured his first ATP World Tour title at the Antalya Open in July, adding to three ATP Challenger Tour events won in 2017. "He's been playing really well," said Dimitrov. "He's going to be definitely a tough opponent to play." Dimitrov got off to a great start by opening up a 3-0 lead against Del Potro. Del Potro mirrored Dimitrov by winning the first three games of the second set but could not convert three set point chances at 5-4, before the Argentine began to struggle in the heat. A doctor was called at the 6-5 change over, but Del Potro was determined to finish the match. Dimitrov improved to 31-14 for the season, which includes two ATP World Tour titles. In later games, John Isner never dropped a service game on his way to a 7-6(4) 7-5 win over fellow American Frances Tiafoe. Isner rocketed two aces to close out the match and punch his card to the quarter-finals, where he will face another American in Jared Donaldson. Donaldson, who defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets on Thursday, will be one of four unseeded players in the quarters following a series of upsets early in the tournament. Third seed Dominic Thiem needed two tie breakers to dispatch France's Adrian Mannarino 7-6(4) 7-6(3) and set up a meeting with Spain's David Ferrer, who upset 11th-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4 6-4. Rain put a halt of Australian Nick Kyrgios' match against Ivo Karlovic with the Croatian leading 4-3 in the first set. Wet weather also postponed the start of top-seeded Rafael Nadal's match against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas.

Dimitrov beats Del Potro, enters Cincinnati quarters

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