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Elena Rybakina retired with an apparent Achilles injury while trailing Iga Swiatek 4-1 in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals, ending her bid for the world No. 1 ranking and sending the defending champion into a fourth consecutive semifinal here. Earlier, Jessica Pegula came through an all-American quarterfinal against Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4). The two meet for a place in the final.
Cincinnati, United States: The match everyone had circled barely got going.
Swiatek and Rybakina were meeting for the second time in eight days, a rematch of the Canadian Open final in Toronto that Swiatek won 6-2, 6-3, and of last year’s Cincinnati semifinal. It was, on paper, the tie of the round. It ended with the Pole leading 4-1 in the opening set and her opponent unable to continue.
A Retirement That Settles the Ranking
Rybakina had arrived in Ohio with the No. 1 ranking within reach. Aryna Sabalenka’s shock defeat to Sara Bejlek in the last 16 meant that reaching the final here would have been enough. The Achilles problem ended that in a single evening — Sabalenka’s No. 1 standing survives, at least until the US Open.
ALSO READ: Bejlek stuns world no. 1 Sabalenka to reach first WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Cincinnati
Swiatek approached her opponent on the bench after the retirement, and was subdued about the manner of her progress afterwards. “I was feeling anxious just looking at the situation, I hope Elena is going to be fine,” she said, adding that with the US Open approaching and the ranking at stake, it was a shame to end a match she felt had been a good one.
For Swiatek it is a fourth straight Cincinnati semifinal. It is also, unavoidably, an unsatisfying way to get there.
Pegula Survives the All-American Grind
The evening’s other quarterfinal was everything the Swiatek match was not. Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova went two hours and fifteen minutes, and the third set went to a tiebreak.
Pegula took the opener 6-4, lost the second 2-6, and then had to weather both Anisimova’s momentum and a physical scare of her own before taking the breaker 7-4. Anisimova had recovered from a double-break deficit in the decider to force it that far.
READ MORE: Paul saves match point to stun Zverev as Tiafoe ousts Auger-Aliassime and both top seeds fall
The numbers behind Pegula’s season are becoming difficult to ignore. This was her sixth top-10 win of 2026 and took her to a tour-leading 44 wins, lifting her above Elina Svitolina to fourth in the WTA Race. She is 16-5 in three-setters this year and has won nine of her last eleven hard-court matches, her only defeats in that span coming against Diana Shnaider and Alexandra Eala.
It also extended her record against Anisimova to 6-0, though four of those six meetings have gone the distance. It is her second WTA 1000 semifinal of the season and her second in Cincinnati, where her best result remains the 2024 final.
An American Week
Pegula’s win was the third all-American quarterfinal at this tournament since 2000, in a week when four US women reached the last eight — the most in Cincinnati since 2004.
Whether that becomes something more depends on Friday. Coco Gauff, the 2023 champion here, faces Marta Kostyuk, and Madison Keys — the 2019 champion — meets Sara Bejlek, the 20-year-old Czech who removed the world No. 1. Both matches are scheduled for the afternoon session.
Swiatek and Pegula, meanwhile, have their semifinal already booked.
Results — Quarterfinals, Women’s Singles
[7] I. Swiatek d. [2] E. Rybakina 4-1 ret.
[3] J. Pegula d. [9] A. Anisimova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
Still to play: S. Bejlek v [20] M. Keys · [4] C. Gauff v [10] M. Kostyuk
