Belarus’ Sabalenka advances to Cincinnati round three

Belarus’ world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka has moved to the third round of the Cincinnati Masters with the total prize money pool coming in at $2,7 million, BelTA has learned.

The Belarusian had to go through three sets in her opener to hold off No.191 Ann Li of the United States, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Aryna Sabalenka will next face Russia’s world number 13 Daria Kasatkina.

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, currently ranked 18th, lost to Croatia’s world number 22 Donna Vekic, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, in the second round. Donna Vekic will next take on world number 5 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.

In the opener Victoria Azarenka defeated world number 11 Barbora Krejcikova, 6-3, 7-5. Victoria Azarenka won the tournament’s singles event in 2013 and 2020 and the doubles event together with Russia’s Maria Kirilenko in 2010.    

World number 74 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus went through the qualifying to lose to China’s world number 24 Qinwen Zheng, 1-6, 4-6 in the main draw opener.

The competitions in Cincinnati will be over on 20 August.