Elena Rybakina retired less than 30 minutes into her Cincinnati Masters quarter-final against Iga Swiatek on August 20 after suffering a heel injury. Trailing 4-1 in the first set, Rybakina pulled up at 40-all, consulted the trainer on her bench, played one more point, then retired from the match [1, 2, 3].
Rybakina’s withdrawal raised concerns over her fitness ahead of the US Open, which starts August 30 in New York. Had she reached the Cincinnati final, Rybakina would have claimed the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, replacing Aryna Sabalenka [1, 2, 3].
Swiatek said she felt ready and confident to continue, expressing hope that Rybakina recovers in time for the US Open. “I was feeling anxious watching the whole situation. I hope she will be fine. Health is always the priority,” Swiatek said. “This is an important tournament, but the US Open is the US Open. I hope she is ready for that.” She added, “I feel great, ready to play my game. I’ve gained a lot of confidence in the last weeks. I’m happy to be playing the tennis that I am.” [1, 3]
Swiatek will face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. Pegula secured her spot by defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) despite carrying a reported hip niggle. Pegula, 32, is one of four players since 2009 to reach five or more WTA Masters 1000 quarter-finals after turning 30, joining Li Na, Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova [1, 2, 3].
On her record against Anisimova, Pegula said, "I know I have a good record against her, but literally every single match is like it was today’s.” Pegula holds a 6-0 match record versus Anisimova [1, 2, 3].
The Cincinnati semifinals will continue with Swiatek and Pegula competing for a place in the final. The US Open is set to begin on August 30 in New York [1, 2, 3].
