Aryna Sabalenka sprints past Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, sets blockbuster Cincinnati Open clash against Elena Rybakina
WTA
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.
Match Info:
Aryna Sabalenka - Elena Rybakina
Start time (local): Not scheduled yet
Start time (your time): Not scheduled yet
Tournament: Cincinnati Open
Round: Quarterfinal
Head-to-Head
| Sabalenka | Rybakina | |
|---|---|---|
| H2H Record | ||
| Total Wins | 8 | 5 |
| Win Streak | 1 | 0 |
| Ranking | ||
| Official Ranking | 1 | 10 |
| Race Ranking | 1 | 8 |
| Live Ranking | ||
| Live Ranking | 1 | 10 |
| Live Race Ranking | 1 | 8 |
| Bios | ||
| Age | 27 (5 May 1998) | 26 (17 Jun 1999) |
| Birthplace | Minsk, Belarus | Moscow, Russia |
| Residence | Miami, Florida, US | Moscow, Russia |
| Height | 5'11" (182cm) | 6'0" (184cm) |
| Weight | 176lbs (80kg) | 159lbs (72kg) |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Turned Pro | 2015 | 2016 |
| Coach | Anton Dubrov | Davide Sanguinetti (2025–) |
| YTD W/L | 48-9 (84%) | 37-15 (71%) |
| YTD Titles | 3 | 1 |
| Career Titles | 20 | 9 |
| Prize Money | US$37,133,342 - 8th in all-time rankings | US$ 17,450,937 - 34th in all-time rankings |
| Past Meetings | ||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina Berlin - Quarterfinal7-6 | 3-6 | 7-6 20 Jun 2025 |
||
|
E Rybakina d A Sabalenka WTA Finals -6-4 | 3-6 | 6-1 6 Nov 2024 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina WTA Madrid - Semifinal1-6 | 7-5 | 7-6 2 May 2024 |
||
|
E Rybakina d A Sabalenka WTA Brisbane - Final6-0 | 6-3 7 Jan 2024 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina World Tennis League -7-6 22 Dec 2023 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina WTA Finals -6-2 | 3-6 | 6-3 3 Nov 2023 |
||
|
E Rybakina d A Sabalenka WTA Beijing - Quarterfinal7-5 | 6-2 6 Oct 2023 |
||
|
E Rybakina d A Sabalenka WTA Indian Wells - Final7-6 | 6-4 19 Mar 2023 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina Australian Open - Final4-6 | 6-3 | 6-4 28 Jan 2023 |
||
|
E Rybakina d A Sabalenka World Tennis League -0-6 | 6-1 | 10-6 20 Dec 2022 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina Wimbledon - Round of 166-3 | 4-6 | 6-3 5 Jul 2021 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina WTA Abu Dhabi - Quarterfinal6-4 | 4-6 | 6-3 11 Jan 2021 |
||
|
A Sabalenka d E Rybakina WTA Wuhan - Quarterfinal6-3 | 1-6 | 6-1 26 Sep 2019 |
||
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.
Sean Killen is a contributing journalist for both DartsNews.com and Tennisuptodate.com, where he balances his university studies with writing news updates, player features, and match reports across both sports.
Before joining the sites, Sean built experience across student and professional media. He serves as TV News Director for Cardiff University TV (CUTV), has reported for Gair Rhydd and The Cardiff Times, and produced viral news coverage that gained international attention. His reporting spans sports, breaking news, and human-interest features, and he’s worked across platforms including print, online, radio, and video.
Sean has followed the ATP and WTA tennis tours closely for years, with a growing interest in darts through the Premier League and World Championship circuits. He brings a sharp eye for storytelling, a commitment to accuracy, and a passion for making niche sports accessible to wider audiences.
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