Sabalenka needed six match points to secure the win after Gibson saved five of them in the twelfth game of the second set. The Belarusian ultimately clinched the win with a winner after a match that lasted just under two hours in strong winds.

Preparing for the US open

Sabalenka, the 2024 Cincinnati champion, is seeking the best possible preparation for the US Open, where she hopes to win her first Grand Slam title this year. She won three titles in 2026 but hasn't won a title since the Miami Open in March.

Rybakina and Andreeva also advance

Joining her in the same round are Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, the Australian Open champion, and Russia's Mira Andreeva, the French Open champion. Rybakina, ranked second in the world, beat American Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-4.

Shelton suffers a surprise defeat

In the men's draw at the Masters 1000 level, American Ben Shelton, who rose to a career-high ranking of world number six after winning the Montreal Masters 1000, was eliminated by Portugal's Jaime Faria (ranked 79). Shelton fell victim to Faria's momentum, who came back from 1-4 down in the second set to achieve his first victory over a player ranked in the top 10 in the world, winning 6-4, 6-4.