Kazakhstan's top-ranked tennis player Elena Rybakina has made a strong start at the prestigious Cincinnati Open-2026 in the United States, reports infohub.kz.
In the second round of the tournament, the second seed defeated American Taylor Townsend 6:3, 6:4. Townsend is ranked second in the world in doubles and 94th in singles.
Rybakina got off to a good start, breaking early to lead 3:0. Townsend tried to fight back, but in the seventh game Rybakina saved four break points to hold for 5:2, then served out the set to love – 6:3.
In the second set, the Kazakhstani again took the initiative (2:0), but then dropped her serve and allowed her opponent to level – 2:3. However, in the ninth game Elena secured another break, and in the next she served for the match. Final score: 6:3, 6:4 in 1 hour 18 minutes. Match statistics: aces – 5:4, double faults – 1:1, total points won – 62:49.
In the third round, Rybakina will face Polish player Magdalena Fręch (ranked 41st). Fręch has already played two matches in Cincinnati, defeating Croatian Antonina Ruzic (61) 6:2, 7:5, and Latvian Elena Ostapenko (30) 6:1, 6:3. The two have met three times before, with Rybakina winning all encounters.
After the early exits of Alexander Shevchenko and Yulia Putintseva, Kazakhstan is represented in Cincinnati by Rybakina and Anna Danilina (6). Danilina, alongside Serbian Aleksandra Krunic (5), will play their opening match tonight against the American-Danish duo of Ann Li (141) and Clara Tauson (76).
The current WTA-1000 Cincinnati Open is the 80th edition. This oldest tournament in the United States has never changed its venue. The event is held on outdoor hard courts in Mason, a suburb of Cincinnati (Ohio), and traditionally precedes the fourth Grand Slam of the year – the US Open.
The prize money for the women's Cincinnati Open-2026 is $7.43 million.
Over the years, the tournament has been won by stars such as Americans Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams, Belgian Kim Clijsters, Russian Maria Sharapova, and others.
The defending champion in Cincinnati is Iga Swiatek (5), who recently defeated Rybakina in the final in Toronto. In the semifinals of the 2025 Cincinnati Open, the Polish player also beat the Kazakhstani – 7:5, 6:3 – and then defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini in the final – 7:5, 6:4.
At this year's tournament, Swiatek will begin her campaign against Colombian Emiliana Arango (95), who beat 46-year-old Venus Williams (615) 6:2, 6:2 in the first round.