World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been knocked out of the Cincinnati Open after suffering a shock straight-sets defeat to Czech player Sara Bejlek. The 35th-ranked and unseeded Bejlek defeated the four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalanka 7-6 (7) 6-4 in just under two hours to advance to the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 event. Bejlek rallied from 5-1 down in a first-set tiebreaker then came from 4-1 behind in the second set to clinch her first career victory over a top-10 opponent.
The 20-year-old from Znojmo will next face Madison Keys in the quarter-finals. Bejlek was left speechless at what she had achieved. I lost totally my words," she said on court after the match.
"I just kept believing and that was the key today." Sabalenka's defeat means Elena Rybakina can replace her as world No 1 by reaching the Cincinnati final. Coco Gauff advanced to the quarter-finals after sweeping past 22nd-seeded Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-3 6-2. The fourth-seeded Gauff needed just one-hour and 33 minutes to progress and will face Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk next for a spot in the semi-finals.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Tommy Paul saved a match point to defeat top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6 7-6(6) 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open after a nearly 90-minute rain delay. Zverev took the first set and trailed 3-4 in the second before the fourth-round match was suspended due to rain. Paul emerged from the lengthy delay looking the sharper player, saving a match point before levelling the contest as Zverev struggled to find his rhythm.
The German took a 4-2 lead in the third set but Paul dug his heels in to take control of the match, rallying to win four straight games in a stunning comeback to advance to the quarter-finals in Cincinnati for the first time. He will face Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals. Frances Tiafoe notched a milestone victory when he delivered one of the most composed performances of his season to upset second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-4 at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
With the victory, the 28-year-old advanced to his second Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season, having also reached the last eight in Miami. It is the first time in his career that Tiafoe has reached multiple Masters 1000 quarter-finals in a single season. The American will next face Lorenzo Musetti, who defeated Jaime Faria 7-5 6-2 in 75 minutes.
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