Washington Open: Top seeds Andrey Rublev, Aryna Sabalenka tested but progress

Washington: Top seeds Andrey Rublev and Aryna Sabalenka struggled through determined challenges to avoid upsets with three-set triumphs on Wednesday and advance at the ATP and WTA Washington Open.

World number eight Rublev fired 15 aces and rallied after a rain delay in dispatching 20-year-old Frenchman Luca Van Assche 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last 16 at the hardcourt tuneup for the US Open, which starts on August 26.

Two-time reigning Australian Open champion Sabalenka outlasted 78th-ranked Kamilla Rakhimova 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

Third-ranked Sabalenka, who had a first-round bye, is coming off a right shoulder injury that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon.

She fired 13 aces and 53 winners to win after two hours and 46 minutes.

Top seed Sabalenka will face either fellow Belarusian double Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, seeded sixth, or China’s Wang Yafan in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Next up for Rublev will be France’s 68th-ranked Arthur Rinderknech, the 16th seed who advanced when China’s Shang Juncheng retired leading 3-2.

Rublev is chasing his 17th career ATP Tour title after triumphs this year in Madrid and Hong Kong.

The 26-year-old Russian won his second ATP Masters in May on Madrid clay, the first coming last year at Monte Carlo. Agencies

Also Read: Madrid Open 2024: Andrey Rublev To Face Felix Auger Aliassime In Final

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