Former Cincinnati contenders suffer contrasting first-round fates
CINCINNATI: A former champion at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters was knocked out on Friday by a South American clay-courter while the tournament’s 2022 finalist survived into the second round.
Two former Cincinnati Masters contenders faced contrasting first-round outcomes on Friday. Grigor Dimitrov, a 2017 winner, was defeated by Argentine Sebastian Baez 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the initial round after losing the last five games of the match. Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2022 runner-up, advanced to the second round after defeating Valentin Royer 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, overcoming a challenging second-set loss.
Tsitsipas praised his offensive strategy and composure throughout the match. In the WTA draw, Venus Williams suffered her 14th consecutive loss, losing to Colombian Emilia Arango 6-2, 6-2 in the first round.
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