Sabalenka Defeats Bouzas Maneiro, Sets Up Quarterfinal with Rybakina

CINCINNATI, OH, UNITED STATES — Defending Cincinnati Open champion Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the quarterfinals after defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets on Wednesday night. The World No. 1 wrapped up the match 6-1, 7-5 in just 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Sabalenka’s victory sets up an anticipated quarterfinal clash against Elena Rybakina, who triumphed over Madison Keys in a thrilling match, winning 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2. This marks their second encounter of 2025, with both players looking for a significant win in the tournament.

After a relatively easy first set, Sabalenka faced difficulties in the second set. Despite an early break giving her a 4-2 lead, Bouzas Maneiro came back to claim three consecutive games and take a 5-4 advantage. Sabalenka, however, regained her form to take the set and match.

“Jessica is a great player,” Sabalenka said. “I knew I’d have to work for every point. I’m super happy to get this win in straight sets. I didn’t want to stay here for three hours.” With this win, Sabalenka also becomes the first player to notch 50 wins on the WTA Tour in 2025, a remarkable achievement for the athlete.

Meanwhile, Rybakina’s win over Keys was her third consecutive comeback victory of the tournament. She has shown resilience by defeating top-seeded players, which adds excitement to the upcoming match against Sabalenka.

The historical context adds intrigue to their rivalry, as Sabalenka leads their head-to-head series 7-4, including their recent match in Berlin earlier this year.