Second-seeded Coco Gauff secured a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over China’s Xinyu Wang in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Sunday in Mason, Ohio. Gauff needed just 70 minutes to move forward, demonstrating resilience despite eight double faults and successfully defending all five break points against Wang.
Emma Navarro exits after tough three-set loss
Emma Navarro’s run at the Cincinnati Open concluded as she fell in her opening match against Germany’s Ella Seidel. The eighth-seeded American was defeated 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 after Seidel managed three crucial breaks in the final set, ending Navarro’s tournament hopes early.
Other notable upsets and close matches on a competitive day
In additional surprise results, Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova overcame Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, ranked 17th, in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 (0). Kudermetova’s strong serve, highlighted by six aces compared to Bencic’s one, and fewer double faults helped secure the win. Meanwhile, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini edged out Greece’s Maria Sakkari 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) in a tense match marked by a dramatic second-set tiebreak where Sakkari saved five consecutive match points before a critical double fault ended the contest.
I feel sorry for her, but, yes, after she missed the first serve, I was like, ‘Please make the double fault,
Paolini told Tennis Channel with a laugh.
I have to be honest. Because it was a really tough tiebreak… and I was praying.
—Jasmine Paolini, player
Other players advancing and withdrawals impacting the draw
Denmark’s Clara Tauson, building on her momentum from reaching the Montreal semifinals, claimed a 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4 victory over Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia. Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko advanced via walkover after Colombia’s Camila Osorio withdrew citing an abdominal injury.
Additionally, Ashlyn Krueger, Poland’s Magda Linette, and Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska all progressed to the third round. Meanwhile, third-seeded Iga Swiatek was granted a place in the fourth round after Marta Kostyuk withdrew due to a right wrist injury, altering the tournament’s competitive landscape.
The significance of these developments for the Cincinnati Open
Emma Navarro’s Cincinnati Open loss marks an early exit for one of the tournament’s higher seeds, highlighting the depth of competition this year. Coco Gauff’s progression underscores her strong form following recent doubles success at the National Bank Open in Montreal with McCartney Kessler. The series of upsets and withdrawals has opened paths for several players to advance further, setting the stage for intensified matches in the later rounds as favorites and emerging contenders vie for the title in Ohio.