World no. 1s Sinner, Swiatek stage Cincy fightbacks as Zverev escapes

CINCINNATI, United States — World number ones Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek both turned around losing situations to move into the semifinals of the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Open.

Sinner prevented rival Andrey Rublev from repeating a triumph from last week in Montreal as he defeated the sixth seed in a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 fightback on Sunday (Manila time). 

Swiatek did the same in the women's draw as she worked to overcome teen Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Sinner will square off in the semis against third-ranked 2021 champion Alexander Zverev, who got past rain interruptions in the final set to defeat Ben Shelton 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5.

The third set was start-stop but the German advanced to his third consecutive Cincinnati final-four spot.

"Conditions and the interruptions were tough, but Ben was the toughest part of the match," Zverev said.

"He has played amazing tennis all week. It was tough to find my comfort zone today, but it's great to get the win."

Top seed Sinner took to the court for only his second match of the week after a first-round bye and a walkover on Friday.

Zverev has won four of five matches against Sinner -- three at Grand Slams, including last year's US Open.

Sinner -- whose fitness has been compromised in recent months by a hip niggle, illness and the tonsillitis which forced him to miss the Olympics -- stormed back to win the second set and break Rublev to start the third.

He clinched victory in a set where five of the 10 games were breaks of serve. His match point ball was caught by a gust of wind and put out of the reach of his opponent.

"There was a lot of mental strength required today," Sinner said. "It was tough conditions, very, very windy.

"In the first set I didn't play my best tennis. In the second I improved and was able to wait for my chances. I was happy to win today."

Sinner ended with 31 winners, including 10 aces, while Rublev, the runner-up at Montreal, committed 47 unforced errors.

Poland's Swiatek grabbed a break in the penultimate game of a match lasting more than two and a half hours to finally advance past Andreeva at the US Open tuneup, which concludes on Monday.

Swiatek moved through on her first match point, her opponent