(No. 9) Elena Rybakina def. (No. 1) Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-4

No. 9 Elena Rybakina produced a commanding performance on Friday, defeating defending champion and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-4 to reach the semifinals in Cincinnati.

Rybakina set the tone with a dominant opening set and continued to control the match behind her serve. She hit 11 aces, many at crucial moments, and committed just one double fault. Winning 80.6% of first-serve points and 55% on her second serve, and never allowed Sabalenka to settle into return games. In contrast, Sabalenka managed just 54.5% of first-serve points and failed to convert on all 5 of her break chances. Rybakina, meanwhile, capitalized on 3 of 5 opportunities to secure the win in one hour and 14 minutes.

The victory marks Rybakina’s 11th career WTA 1000 semifinal. She will next face No. 3 Iga Swiatek.

(No. 3) Iga Switek def. (No. 28) Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4

World No. 3 Iga Swiatek advanced to the semifinals on Friday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 28 Anna Kalinskaya.

Swiatek applied relentless pressure on return, forcing Kalinskaya to defend break points in nearly every service game. The Polish star converted 3 of her 11 opportunities and broke serve at key moments, while Kalinskaya was unable to do the same. Swiatek’s serve proved rock solid, winning 82.8% of first-serve points and 62.5% on second serve. She faced only two break points in the match, saving one. Kalinskaya struggled in comparison, winning less than half (48.3%) of her second-serve points, leaving her vulnerable throughout.

Swiatek now sets up a high-stakes semifinal clash against Elena Rybakina.

Veronika Kudermetova def. Varvara Gracheva 6-1, 6-4

Former World No. 9 Veronika Kudermetova powered her way into the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time since 2023, defeating Varvara Gracheva 6-1, 6-4 on Friday.

Kudermetova, who last reached this stage in back-to-back runs in Madrid and Rome, was sharp from the start. She immediately broke Gracheva’s serve and dictated play with her superior pace and aggression. Across the match, Kudermetova captured five service games from her opponent while never facing a break point herself.

The win sends Kudermetova into Sunday’s semifinal, where she will meet Jasmine Paolini.

(No. 7) Jasmine Paolini def. (No. 2) Coco Gauff 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

Jasmine Paolini stunned No. 2 Coco Gauff on Friday night, coming back from a set down to reach the Cincinnati Open semifinals.

Paolini endured both physical and mental challenges throughout the match, which lasted over two hours and featured 14 service breaks. Early in the third set, Paolini rolled her ankle while chasing down a forehand but, after a brief medical timeout, returned to play undeterred. She immediately broke Gauff’s serve and built momentum, winning 7 straight points and 12 of the last 15 to seal the comeback.

Gauff struggled with inconsistency, recording 16 double faults and 62 unforced errors. Paolini, meanwhile, showed grit and composure to advance to her fifth semifinal of the year, and her second at WTA 1000 level after winning the Internazionali BNL d’Italia title in May. She will face Veronika Kudermetova in Sunday’s semifinal.