Defending champion Coco Gauff faced an early exit in the Cincinnati Open as she was stunned by Yulia Putintseva in her opening match. Gauff, who also claimed her first Grand Slam title at last year’s US Open, couldn’t find an answer as Putintseva rallied to win the final four games, securing a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory.
Putintseva, who has been on a roll after her upset of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, advances to the round of 16 where she will meet Spain’s Paula Badosa.
The surprises didn’t stop with Gauff’s defeat. Fourth seed Elena Rybakina also faced an unexpected second-round exit, falling to Leylah Fernandez 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. Fernandez, who was the runner-up to Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open, showed signs of returning to her top form as she prepares for another deep run at Flushing Meadows. Fernandez is set to face Diana Shnaider in the third round after Shnaider’s straightforward win over American Ashlyn Krueger.
In contrast, third seed Aryna Sabalenka had no such troubles, cruising into the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, will face Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina in the next round after Svitolina dominated Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, winning 6-4, 6-1.
In another noteworthy match, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva continued to impress, defeating veteran Czech player Karolina Pliskova 6-2, 6-3, as she advanced further into the tournament.
