Sabalenka's Epic Showdown: A Cincinnati Open Thriller

World number one Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her Cincinnati Open title following a dramatic 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(5) victory over Emma Raducanu. The marathon third-round clash spanned three hours and nine minutes, underscoring a fierce rivalry reminiscent of their Wimbledon face-off.

Sabalenka's powerful serve proved decisive, winning crucial tiebreaks and boosting her seasonal total to a historic 18 in the professional era. Raducanu, despite the defeat, showcased admirable resilience, outscoring Sabalenka in total points won, 125 to 123, in a promising U.S. Open lead-up.

"I'm really happy to see her healthy. I can see she's improving," Sabalenka expressed about Raducanu. Sabalenka is scheduled to compete against Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the last 16, eyeing her next challenge.

(With inputs from agencies.)