Il Nuovo Postiglione - Sabalenka squeezes out a win on sixth match point in Cincinnati

The world number one needed six match points, Australia's Gibson saving five in the 12th game of the second set before Sabalenka managed a final winner to get the job done in just under two hours on a windswept Grandstand Court.

"I'm super tired, this is crazy weather," the Belarusian said. ""Talia played great tennis and was more aggressive in the second set.

"She put more pressure on my service games. I’m glad I stayed calm and pulled it out in straight sets."

Sabalenka, who won the Cincinnati trophy in 2024, is looking for a solid build-up to the US Open, where she'll be seeking her first Grand Slam title of the year.

She's won three titles in 2026, but none since Miami in March.

She joined a pair of reigning Grand Slam champions in advancing, with Australian Open winner Elena Rybakina and Roland Garros titleholder Mirra Andreeva also reaching the third round.

Second seed Rybakina, coming off a runner-up finish to Iga Swiatek in Toronto, defeated Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-4.

Andreeva crushed Oleksandra Oliynykova with the loss of just one game, breaking five times and saving all seven break points against her own serve in a 65-minute 6-1, 6-0 rout.

Rybakina said that she is concentrating on recovery after a tough Toronto run and was glad to get off to a low-stress start.

"Today I’m happy with the serve," she said. "Definitely it helped me a lot. Last week in Toronto was very difficult. A lot of three set matches."

Seventh seed Swiatek, the defending champion who bagged her first title of a rocky season in Toronto, hammered Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-3, 6-0.

Swiatek went down an early break but recovered quickly to prevail in 71 minutes over the player who ousted Venus Williams in the first round.

Sara Bejlek continued her rampage against fellow Czechs as she defeated Barbora Krejcikova 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. She had beaten compatriot and former champion Karolina Pliskova in the first round.

-- FAA back in action -

In men's action, second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime began his injury-delayed US Open preparation with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over 2022 Cincy finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Auger-Aliassime was playing for the first time since losing a five-set Wimbledon quarter-final to Novak Djokovic nearly six weeks ago.

The Canadian withdrew at the last second from his home Montreal Masters this month with back pain but looked fully recovered as he throttled Tsitsipas in 88 minutes.

The 49th-ranked Greek was broken three times in the second set, with Auger-Aliassime sending down his seventh ace on match point.

Auger-Aliassime said that a late break of his serve could be blamed partly on conditions.

“It got really windy, it was pushing against me. I felt like I had no power in my serve.

"It was a tricky ending, but luckily I was able to get the break back. I was able to come back and serve it out better, with the wind this time.

“For someone who hasn’t played since Wimbledon, (coming back has) been a tough health-wise. But I’m happy to be back with a win like this, it’s great."

Fourth-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev opened his campaign with a businesslike 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Argentine Marco Trungelliti.

Medvedev is always a threat in the US hard court season, having won four of the five hardcourt Masters titles in his career.

The 2019 Cincinnati champion earned his 100th Masters 1000 win and his 32nd of this season. He trailed 2-5 in the second set but won the last five games.

US sixth seed Taylor Fritz smashed a racquet in anger just five minutes into his match with compatriot Alex Michelsen but recovered his poise in the swirling winds to earn a 6-3, 6-4 win.

Toronto finalist Brandon Nakashima beat Alexsandar Kovacevic 6-2, 7-5 in another all-American clash.

Joao Fonseca had enthusiastic Brazilian support on a minor show court as he defeated Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

M.Dodaro--INP