Press releases

18 Aug 2021

Azarenka progresses into Cincinnati 2021 second round

Photo: Getty Images

MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) – Belarus’ world number 15 Victoria Azarenka went off to a good start at the 2021 Western & Southern Open seeing off Russia’s world number 52 Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 11 minutes, BelTA has learned.

In the round of Last 32 Victoria Azarenka will take on world number 37 Alison Riske of the United States.

Belarus’ world number 90 Aliaksandra Sasnovich lost 2-6, 6-3, 1-6 to world number 67 Heather Watson of the UK in the first round. The British will face Australia’s world number 1 Ashleigh Barty in the second round.

Belarus’ world number 3 Aryna Sabalenka will kick off her Cincinnati run in the round of Last 32 against Spain’s world number 31 Paula Badosa Gibert.

In the doubles round of Last 32 Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Russia’s Anna Blinkova saw off the U.S. duo Hayley Carter and Sabrina Santamaria 7-5, 6-4. The Belarusian-Russian duo will next play Belgium's Elise Mertens and Hsieh Su-wei of Taipei.

Victoria Azarenka paired with Jessica Pegula of the United States overcame Ukraine-Japan tandem Lyudmyla Kichenok and Makoto Ninomiya in three sets - 6-2, 2-6, 10-6. Today, Azarenka and Pegula will take on the Brazil-Canada tandem Luisa Stefani and Gabriela Dabrowski.

The tournament in Cincinnati will be over on 22 August. The event is a good rehearsal before the season’s final Grand Slam tournament – US Open, which is due to take place in New York on 30 August-11 September.