Svitolina saves 7 match points and bagels Valentova in Cincinnati Open thriller

Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina achieved a remarkable comeback at the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, defeating Czech player Tereza Valentova in a thrilling three-set match on August 16. Svitolina, currently ranked No. 9, faced Valentova, who was ranked No. 64, with this being their first professional encounter.

In the first set, Svitolina struggled with her serve, losing three games. Despite managing to break back once, Valentova managed to secure the set 3-6. The second set turned into a closely contested battle, eventually leading to a tiebreak. Svitolina managed to rally from a position of 2-5 down in the tiebreak after withstanding seven match point opportunities throughout the set, ultimately finishing the tiebreak 7-6(5).

Energized by this performance, Svitolina dominated the decisive third set, sealing the match with a 6-0 victory.

Svitolina's dominant performance included six aces, four double faults, and successfully converting six out of twelve break-point chances. This win propelled her into the third round of the tournament, where she will face China's Wang Xinyu. The news of Svitolina's victory spread rapidly, with fans expressing their awe and amazement on social media platforms.

Ukraine's tennis presence in the Cincinnati singles draw remained strong, as Marta Kostyuk also advanced to the third round after overcoming a challenging match against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.