Aryna Sabalenka is on a mission to reclaim her winning form on the American hard courts, but she must first overcome the challenge of Xiyu Wang in the third round of the Cincinnati Open.
After a period without a title—a long spell for a player of her caliber—Aryna Sabalenka is looking to make a statement in Cincinnati. With Elena Rybakina closing in on her World No. 1 ranking, the Belarusian needs a strong performance in Ohio to prove she still deserves the top spot. Standing in her way is China's Xiyu Wang, currently ranked 36th in the world.
Sabalenka's 2026 season has been a mix of major triumphs and unexpected setbacks. She started the year by winning the title in Brisbane and then completed an extraordinary "Sunshine Double" on American hard courts, defeating Elena Rybakina in the Indian Wells final and Coco Gauff in the Miami final. This made her the first player to achieve the Sunshine Double twice.
However, the World No. 1 has seen less consistent results since. She reached the Australian Open final, losing to Rybakina, and won the Madrid Open on clay before being knocked out in the Rome quarterfinals. Sabalenka also made the final at the French Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon. Her run in Toronto was cut short in the quarterfinals by Amanda Anisimova. In Cincinnati, she started strong, defeating Talia Gibson with an impressive 13 aces.
Xiyu Wang's Path to the Third Round
Xiyu Wang has had a unique journey this season, finding renewed confidence on clay, particularly at the French Open. In Paris, she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career, defeating Kovinic, Baptiste, and Starodubtseva before falling to Cirstea.
Her good form continued in smaller tournaments, where she secured several wins to bounce back from a difficult period. In Cincinnati, Wang scored a significant opening-round victory against Leylah Fernandez. After dropping the first set 6-3, she mounted a comeback to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2, securing her spot in the next round.
Head-to-Head History
The match in Cincinnati will be only the second professional meeting between Sabalenka and Xiyu Wang. Their only prior encounter was at the 2022 Australian Open, where the Belarusian came from behind to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Location, Date, Time
Location: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio
Date: August 18, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
How to Watch Sabalenka vs. Wang: TV & Streaming
The 2026 Cincinnati Open is broadcast on the Tennis Channel and is available to stream on the Tennis Channel App, Fubo, and YouTube TV.
You can also stream the match live on bet365's free live streaming service with a funded account.
Sabalenka vs. Wang Cincinnati Open Round of 32 Odds
Match Spread (Games)
Aryna Sabalenka | -5.5 | -138 |
Xinyu Wang | +5.5 | +100 |
Money Line
Aryna Sabalenka | -1400 |
Xinyu Wang | +800 |
Total Sets
2 Sets | -400 |
3 Sets | +275 |
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2026 Cincinnati Open Purse Breakdown.
All odds written in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
