Cincinnati Open Updates: Jannik Sinner Advances to Semifinals

Jannik Sinner

Updates from the Cincinnati Open, including Jannik Sinner's dominating win over Felix Auger-Aliassime and Coco Gauff's advancement to the quarterfinal.

Jannik Sinner dominated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 at the Cincinnati Open, advancing to the semifinals with his 25th consecutive hardcourt match victory. The world number one cruised through the first set in under 30 minutes, with Auger-Aliassime struggling with unforced errors and double faults. Sinner's strong serving and precise returns played a key role in his victory, which lasted only 71 minutes.

Match Highlights:

• Sinner's Performance: He won 80% of points on Auger-Aliassime's second serve and broke back efficiently after losing his serve in the second set.

• Auger-Aliassime's Struggles: The Canadian player committed 28 unforced errors and eight double faults, unable to sustain his momentum after the first set.

• Next Match: Sinner awaits the winner of Terence Atmane vs. Holger Rune in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini also claimed victories in the women's draw. Gauff beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 6-4, showcasing her strong serving and returning skills. Paolini crushed 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-1, 6-2, setting up a quarterfinal match against Gauff.

The defending champion dominated the match, prevailing in a swift 71 minutes to claim his eighth consecutive victory at this event and his 30th win of the season.

“I felt great on the court today, you could see that,” said the Italian, who was celebrating his 24th birthday on Saturday. “But every day can be different. Let's see what I can do in the semis,” he added, showing humility and focus on the next challenge.

Jannik Sinner, fresh from his Wimbledon triumph, advances to the Cincinnati Open semifinals, where he'll face either French qualifier Terence Atmane or Danish seventh seed Holger Rune for a spot in the final. Sinner's opponent in the quarterfinals, Felix Auger-Aliassime, struggled to contain the Italian's powerful game.

Auger-Aliassime's opening set was a struggle, lasting under 30 minutes, with Sinner dominating the proceedings. The Canadian's serve faltered, with three double faults in the final game of the set, setting the tone for a one-sided match.

After losing his serve early in the second set, Jannik Sinner broke back to level the match at 2-2. He then seized control, ultimately advancing to the semifinals when Felix Auger-Aliassime hit his eighth double fault on match point.

“I served well today, that was the key for me,” Sinner said, highlighting the importance of his strong serving. “I had a small drop in the second set and I'm happy that I broke back,” he added, praising Auger-Aliassime's movement and serve, saying, ”He moves and serves well, he's difficult to play.”

Terence Atmane expressed his excitement after reaching the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open, saying, “I cannot believe it. Being here in the semi-finals of a Masters 1000, breaking into the top 100. It means a lot to me.” This milestone marks a significant achievement in Atmane's career, showcasing his rapid rise in the tennis world.

In other men's matches, fifth-seeded Ben Shelton secured a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jiri Lehecka, advancing to the quarterfinals. Shelton, fresh from his title win in Toronto, will face third-seeded Alexander Zverev in the next round.

Women's Quarterfinals

Coco Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open, defeating Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 6-4. The second-seeded American showed some signs of rust after receiving a bye in the previous round but still managed to dominate the match.

“I could have maybe made some more first serves in that second set, but overall, I had a lot of aces and unreturnables,” Gauff said, reflecting on her performance. As the 2023 Cincinnati champion, Gauff is looking strong in her title defense and will face Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals.

Coco Gauff will face seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals, a rematch of their encounter two years ago at the same tournament where Gauff went on to win the title. This will be Gauff's third 1000-level quarterfinal of the season, following her appearances in Madrid and Rome.

Coco Gauff perspective

“Sometimes tennis fans want us to win like every week. But we’re playing 11 months. It’s not that easy, so its completely normal for a player to have a good 3-4 weeks, then maybe a not so good 3-4 weeks just bcuz the way our season is built”

🎥: WTA, DAZN pic.twitter.com/hHJU3lKiSr

— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) August 16, 2025

In other matches, Varvara Gracheva of France came from behind to defeat Ella Seidel of Germany 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 in a match marked by numerous errors from both players. Gracheva's resilience and determination ultimately paid off as she advanced in the tournament.

“I'm happy considering where (my serve) was last week. I'm always trying to get better, but also just trying to take the little wins along the way.”

“I'm just trying to be happy with where I'm at now, but still doing the things I need to do to improve.”

Coco Gauff secured a spot in the quarterfinals after defeating Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 6-4 in a match that lasted 79 minutes. Despite being broken once in each set, Gauff showed resilience and ultimately clinched the win with a decisive break in the final game.

Gauff will next face seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini, who dominated 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-1, 6-2. Paolini's powerful performance sets up an intriguing matchup with Gauff in the quarterfinals.

“I made her play her best game,” Gracheva said. “She was so hot at the end of the first set that I could barely see a ball.

“I had to go back to basics, I had so many mistakes. I was doubting myself but I stuck with it.”

Varvara Gracheva will face Veronika Kudermetova in the next round after her comeback win over Ella Seidel. Kudermetova advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Magda Linette, setting up a potentially intriguing matchup with Gracheva.