The China Mail - Zverev advances at Cincinnati while Williams sisters fall

The German, who won Roland Garros and finished Wimbledon runner-up this year, earned his 46th victory of the season as he fought off the Frenchman, a 2025 Cincinnati semi-finalist.

Zverev finished off the match with a sizzling backhand down the line.

"This was a step up from my first match," he said. "He was playing incredibly aggressively, hitting forehands all over the court.

"I'm happy to be through in straight sets. He made it difficult for you to play aggressive yourself."

Sisters Serena and Venus Williams, with 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals as a pair, took to the doubles court together for the first time since the 2022 US Open but lost to American Payton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.

The siblings each lost serve once in the first set, Kostyuk serving out the opener as her team won six of the last seven games.

The sisters answered by dominating the second set and rallied after falling behind 6-0 and 8-2 in the 10-point tie-breaker third set, but lost when Venus double-faulted.

Men's fifth seed Alex de Minaur battled through multiple rain interruptions to defeat Arthur Fery 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).

The Australian was up a set and 5-1 after a 30-minute stoppage but Wimbledon semi-finalist Fery erupted, winning five games in a row before de Minaur stopped the rot with a hold.

De Minaur reached the fourth round despite 29 unforced errors over nearly two and a half hours.

"You never want to go into a rain delay leading 5-1," he said. "It was a tough day with all the interruptions.

"I can't remember a match that started and stopped so many times. I'm happy with how I found a way. But it was harder at the end than it should have been."

Spanish teen Rafael Jodar dominated Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 6-2, 6-1, advancing with just one unforced error to a foe that beat him five months ago in Indian Wells.

Jodar got through in 74 minutes to his 36th win of the season and will next line up against Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli.

The Italian came from a break down in the deciding set to defeat Alexander Blockx 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

"A Masters 1000 is something I dreamed of as a kid," 12th-seeded Jodar said. "I'm grateful for the position I'm in now. But I'm still the same as when I used to watch the matches on TV."

Argentine Thiago Tirante, who ousted Novak Djokovic in the second round, defeated Spain's Martin Landaluce 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4).

- 'A crazy day' -

Two-time Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina shook off two one-hour rain stoppages to beat Magdalena Frech 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

"It was a crazy day, to be honest, coming out every time into clouds and humidity," Rybakina said. "I was on top of the ball in the tie-break but it was a difficult one.

"I had the opportunities on the three match points but when you are tired it's difficult to keep concentration."

There were also wins for Iga Swiatek and tournament number three Jesica Pegula.

Former world number one and defending champion Swiatek was done hours before the poor weather, turning the tables after losing the first set in defeating Maria Sakkari 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Pegula, a 2024 finalist, dispatched US compatriot Emma Navarro 7-5, 6-2, ending with an ace.

Q.Yam--ThChM