Rybakina outlasts Frech and the Cincinnati heat to reach the last 16

Elena Rybakina battled sweltering conditions and a resilient Magdalena Frech to reach the Cincinnati last 16, stretching a 2026 hard-court run few on tour can match.

Tennis Majors

August 17, 2026

Cincinnati Open •Third round • Completed

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M. FrechvsE. Rybakina

Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the second seed, ground past Pole Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (2) on Monday evening to reach the last 16 of the Cincinnati Open, extending a hard-court run that has barely given her time to catch her breath this season.

Rybakina arrived in Ohio straight off a final in Toronto, with next to no recovery time before her opener. She has now reached the round of 16 or better at every WTA 1000 event she has played in 2026, and Monday’s win – her 41st of the season – ties her with Jessica Pegula for the second-most on tour.

It was also her fifth trip to the last 16 in Cincinnati and lifted her 2026 hard-court record to 28-6.

The tennis has not always been Rybakina’s cleanest this year, but it has been relentless: she has produced stretches of near-unplayable form, and just as often ground out wins when far from her best. Monday fell into the second category. “It’s a crazy day, to be honest,” Rybakina said after the match. “Coming out every time from the court, it’s either cloud or it’s so humid, or it’s sun and it’s burning your skin. I don’t know, guys, how you were able to stay. Thank you so much. It’s been a very difficult one.”

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She had needed two sets to see off American Taylor Townsend, 6-3, 6-4, in the previous round. Frech, ranked No 41 and playing without a seed, arrived in similarly battle-tested form, having beaten Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the No 26 seed, 6-1, 6-3, then Croat Antonia Ruzic 6-2, 7-5.

Rybakina will next face the winner of Russian Diana Shnaider, the No 14 seed, and Pole Maja Chwalinska, the No 19 seed, for a place in the quarterfinals.