Unexpected Lightning Leaves Zverev and Pegula in Suspense at Cincinnati Open

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An evening filled with high drama and the unpredictable Midwest weather came to a dramatic halt at the Cincinnati Open on Tuesday. Both Alexander Zverev and Jessica Pegula found themselves stranded in the middle of their matches when lightning forced the suspension of play for the night.
            

                
                
            
        
        
Zverev, the third seed in the men's draw, was on the brink of victory against American player Brandon Nakashima when officials interrupted the match due to nearby lightning. The German was leading 6-4, 5-4 and was poised to serve for the match when the interruption occurred.
        
Similarly, women’s third seed Jessica Pegula was gaining momentum in her third-round encounter against Poland’s Magda Linette. After dropping the initial set in a close tiebreak 7-6 (7/5), Pegula rebounded by winning the second set 6-3 before play was suspended.
        
The evening storm, accompanied by lightning and eventually heavy rain, prompted tournament officials to call off all remaining matches for the night. Among those who were affected was American Ben Shelton, fresh from his victory in Toronto, who did not make it onto the court for his match against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.

        
Alcaraz Overcomes the Heat
        
Earlier, world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz handled the intense 32°C heat with ease, becoming the first player to secure a spot in the fourth round. The Spaniard defeated Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4 in 95 minutes, marking his 50th win of the season.
        
"Medjedovic doesn't favor running much, so I aimed to keep him moving," Alcaraz noted. "Still, it wasn't straightforward. The ball was moving fast, and he hit it with great speed."
        
Alcaraz now holds a 13-match winning streak at the Masters 1000 level in 2025 as he continues to chase top-ranked Jannik Sinner. He is set to face Italy’s Luca Nardi next, after the Italian progressed past Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, who retired due to injury at 2-6, 1-2.
        
As he prepares for the US Open, Alcaraz added, “It's not every day you feel at your best. The key is remaining positive and finding ways to win. I'm proud of how I managed the conditions today.”

        
Gauff Moves Forward Without Playing
        
In the women’s singles draw, defending champion Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round without even playing a match. Her opponent, Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska, withdrew before their scheduled match due to illness.
        
Gauff, who followed her 2023 Cincinnati title with a maiden Grand Slam victory at the US Open, will face either Jelena Ostapenko or Lucia Bronzetti in her next match.
        
“It’s never ideal to progress this way,” Gauff reflected. “I hope Dayana recovers soon. I'm eager to return to the court and keep improving my game.”
    

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