Sabalenka survives Cincinnati opening match to reach third round

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, edged out American qualifier Ann Li 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 to move into the third round of the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Tennis Family Center in Cincinnati on Wednesday evening.

Sabalenka, ranked No 2, will play Russian Daria Kasatkina, the No 14 seed, next.

In the previous round of the Cincy Open, Li, ranked No 192, won against Pole Magda Linette (0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2).

Cincinnati WTA 1000, other second-round results:

• Mayar Sherif vs. Coco Gauff
• Donna Vekic vs. Victoria Azarenka
• Marie Bouzkova beat Elise Mertens: 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
• Elena Rybakina (4) beat Jelena Ostapenko: 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-4
• Jasmine Paolini (Q) beat Cristina Bucsa (Q): 6-1, 6-3
• Linda Noskova (Q) beat Petra Kvitova (9): 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
• Qinwen Zheng beat Venus Williams (WC): 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
• Karolina Muchova beat Petra Martic: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
• Maria Sakkari (8) beat Sorana Cirstea: 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
• Iga Swiatek (1) beat Danielle Collins (WC): 6-1, 6-0
• Marketa Vondrousova (10) beat Anastasia Potapova: 6-4, 6-2
• Jessica Pegula (3) beat Martina Trevisan (Q): 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3
• Daria Kasatkina beat Varvara Gracheva (LL): 6-3, 6-1
• Sloane Stephens beat Caroline Garcia (6): 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
• Ons Jabeur (5) beat Anhelina Kalinina: 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2)