Zverev advances at Cincinnati while Williams sisters fall

Cincinnati, 18  Aug- Top seed Alexander Zverev battled into the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Monday while Serena and Venus Williams lost in their first doubles match together in four years.

German star Zverev, who won Roland Garros and finished Wimbledon runner-up this year, won his ATP season-best 46th match of the campaign by defeating Terrance Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (8/6).

Zverev finished off the Frenchman, a 2025 Cincinnati semi-finalist, with a sizzling backhand down the line. "He was playing incredibly aggressively, hitting forehands all over the court," said Zverev. "He made it difficult for you to play aggressive yourself."

The Williams sisters, with 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals together, were side-by-side for the first time since the 2022 US Open but lost to American Payton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.

"It was fun and special. We kicked off a little rust," Serena Williams said. "I didn't come here to win this tournament. It's about having fun and I did want to do the best I could."

The siblings each lost serve once in the first set and lost six of the final seven games, but dominated the second set and rallied from 8-2 down in the 10-point tie-breaker third set only to fall on a Venus double fault.

"It was weird to be in a full stadium. This is not my usual Monday night," said Serena, who noted the reunion is a limited-time attraction. "This is not forever. It's... not long," she said. "We don't have to play every week. It's a bit different."

Men's fifth seed Alex de Minaur battled through multiple rain interruptions to defeat Arthur Fery 7-5, 7-6 (7/3). The Australian was up a set and 5-1 after a 30-minute stoppage before Wimbledon semi-finalist Fery caught fire, but he took the tie-break to advance despite 29 unforced errors.

"You never want to go into a rain delay leading 5-1," he said. "It was a tough day with all the interruptions. I can't remember a match that started and stopped so many times. I'm happy with how I found a way." He next faces France's Arthur Fils, who dumped Czech ninth seed Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3.

Spanish teen Rafael Jodar dominated Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 6-2, 6-1 and next faces Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli. The Italian rallied from a break down in the third set to beat Alexander Blockx 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

"A Masters 1000 is something I dreamed of as a kid," 12th-seeded Jodar said. "I'm grateful for the position I'm in now." Argentine Thiago Tirante, who ousted Novak Djokovic in the second round, defeated Spain's Martin Landaluce 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4).

- 'A crazy day' -

Two-time Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina shook off two one-hour rain stoppages to beat Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

"It was a crazy day, to be honest, coming out every time into clouds and humidity," Rybakina said. "I was on top of the ball in the tie-break but it was a difficult one. "I had the opportunities on the three match points but when you are tired it's difficult to keep concentration."

There were also wins for Iga Swiatek and tournament number three Jesica Pegula. Former world number one and defending champion Swiatek was done hours before the poor weather, turning the tables after losing the first set in defeating Maria Sakkari 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Pegula, a 2024 finalist, dispatched US compatriot Emma Navarro 7-5, 6-2, ending with an ace.BSS