World no. 1 Iga Swiatek reached the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday after posting a 6-4, 7-5 win against Sloane Stephens. The Pole needed an hour and 39 minutes to complete the match. Swiatek won 72% of her first-serve points to the American’s 56%.
While both players didn’t fare too well when it came to winning points behind their second serve, Swiatek still did better as compared to Stephens winning 31% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 24%. The top seed lost her serve four times in the match while converting six break points on Stephens’ serve.
For the match, Swiatek had eight more winners than Stephens’ nine. This win marked Swiatek’s 50th of the year and includes a 37-match winning spree from Indian Wells to the third round of Wimbledon. Meanwhile, looking to make it to 51 wins, Swiatek will play another American, Madison Keys.
Keys upset the 16th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko, 6-4, 7-5 in an hour and 35 minutes.
Cincinnati Open: Emma Raducanu adds momentum
Emma Raducanu who came through her opening-round match against Serena Williams showed similar sharpness in her second-round match against two-time former Cincy winner, Victoria Azarenka.
The 10th-seeded Briton took only 62 minutes to rout Azarenka, 6-0, 6-2. Raducanu won 70% of her first-serve points and 61% of her second-serve points. She also won 59% and 73% points on return on Azarenka’s first serve and second serve respectively.
Five breaks on Azarenka’s serve even as Raducanu saved all three break points she faced allowed Raducanu to maintain a strong grip on the proceedings. For a place in the quarter-finals, Raducanu will play seventh seed Jessica Pegula.
The American defeated Marta Kostyuk, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2. Late in the evening, Ajla Tomljanovic ousted third seed Paula Badosa in their second-round match at the Cincinnati Open. The Australian qualifier dropped the opening set before clinching a 6-7(3), 6-0, 6-2 victory after two hours and 26 minutes of play.
Tomljanovic will take on Veronika Kudermetova who received a walkover into the third round from the 15th-seeded Simona Halep. 
