Tennis, a Cincinnati stranger’s biggest: fuori Swiatek, Kontaveit and Jabeur

Now the alarm has gone off for Iga Swiatek. The Polish, number one in the world, stops in the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, defeated 6-3, 6-4 by the American Madison Keys, number 24 in the ranking. Of course, the American is never an easy opponent, especially in Ohio, where in 2019 she won her first 1000 by beating Kuznetsova in the final, but Swiatek has never seemed particularly comfortable with her this year on American hard court. . After Roland Garros, conquered after an impressive series of victories (37 consecutive), the Pole seems to have raised the accelerator a little: she is there, for a 21-year-old, albeit phenomenal like Iga.

STRAGE IS BIG

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The women’s day in Cincinnati was a real massacre for the seeded teams. The n.2 Anett Kontaveit was also eliminated, defeated by the Chinese Shuai Zhang in three sets: 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. The Estonian has never recovered after Covid, by her own admission, and to maintain her high position in the ranking she must necessarily improve, otherwise her collapse will be net in the ranking. Also out the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, fifth favorite of the tournament, beaten 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 by the former Czech number 2 Petra Kvitova, and this is partially good news for the many fans of the Czech, back from a 2022 really subdued, which had already made us think of a possible farewell at the end of the year, given the chronic physical problems of the two-time Wimbledon champion. It continues with the lights off but with a clear path the march of the Kazakh Elena Rybakina beat the American Alison Riske 6-2, 6-4: be careful not to underestimate the Championships champion, in London she gave ample demonstration of what she is capable of to do. Caroline Garcia goes on too.