Rybakina retires with ankle injury in Cincinnati Open quarter-final defeat to Swiatek

Elena Rybakina retired with a left ankle injury during her Cincinnati Open quarter-final against Iga Swiatek on 21 August 2026, managing just five games before leaving the match while trailing 4-1.

Rybakina's bid to replace Aryna Sabalenka as world number one depended on reaching the final after the Belarusian lost to Sara Bejlek in the fourth round on Wednesday; the Kazakh second seed is the Australian Open champion. Her run ended abruptly when she was unable to continue in the last-eight contest against Poland's Swiatek.

Rybakina pulled up at 40-40 while trailing 4-1 and called for a medical timeout; after consulting with the trainer she played one more point before retiring from the match with what was reported as a left ankle injury.

"Of course I feel not the greatest, I couldn't even push from the serve," Rybakina said. "It's painful to walk. We'll know more tomorrow when we have the MRI. It's been bothering me for a long period of time, but felt like I had it under control. It was feeling OK before the match but unfortunately one wrong movement, one landing, and something happened."

Swiatek, who beat Rybakina in the Canadian Open final last week, will face American world number three Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals. The second seed is bidding to become just the second woman since 2004 to successfully defend a Cincinnati title, after Serena Williams in 2014 and 2015.

"I hope Elena will be fine. The next tournament is the priority. I know this one is important as well. But US Open is US Open," Swiatek said. "I hope she's going be ready for that. She's super close to being number one in the world," Swiatek added. "It's a shame. I thought we were playing a good match, but health is a priority. I hope she's going to be OK." The US Open begins on Sunday, 30 August, and Sabalenka is the two-time defending women's singles champion.

Flavio Cobolli lost to Alexander Zverev in June's French Open final.

In the men's event, Cobolli came from a set down to beat home favourite Tommy Paul 2-6 6-3 6-4, recovering from a second-set lull by requesting a tub of M&M's during a changeover and then breaking Paul at 5-4 in the decider to reach his first Masters 1000 semi-final.

"I felt a little bit tired, and I needed some energy, some sugar, and I love M&M's," Cobolli said. "Chocolate with colours makes me happy in the match." Arthur Fils will be his semi-final opponent after the Frenchman beat Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante in 64 minutes.

Fils, who returned from an eight-month injury lay-off in February, did not face a single break point and became the first French player to reach three Masters 1000 semi-finals in a season since Guy Forget in 1991.

Swiatek will meet Pegula in the women's semi-finals, while Cobolli is set to face Arthur Fils in the men's last four.