Rybakina slogs through double rain delays in Cincinnati win
The second-seeded Kazakh needed two hours on court, plus two one-hour rain interruptions, to defeat Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).
CINCINNATI: Elena Rybakina faced a grueling two-hour match, interrupted twice by rain delays, to defeat Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) and advance to the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Monday. The second-seeded Kazakh player admitted she found it challenging to conclude a match that lasted most of the afternoon.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Rybakina was unable to clinch the final point against Frech in the 12th game after a tie-break, with the Pole holding serve. With the Pole holding serve, the match went to a tie-break, where the seed finally secured the victory on her fourth attempt. Rybakina expressed the difficulty of maintaining concentration despite the opportunities presented during the tie-break.
Polish seventh seed Iga Swiatek, who won the Toronto title the previous week, defeated Swiatek 6-4, 6-1, 6-1. The Polish player, a six-time Grand Slam champion, only lost two more games after her remarkable turnaround, breaking Swiatek five times. Swiatek acknowledged lacking precision in the first set but improved in the second.
The match unfolded amid repeated forecasts of rain, with Rybakina and Swiatek both experiencing challenges due to the weather conditions.
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Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Rybakina slogs through double rain delays in Cincinnati win freemalaysiatoday.com
- Rybakina slogs through double rain delays in Cincinnati win nst.com.my
