CINCINNATI, Aug 16, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Carlos Alcaraz was halted by rain on the
brink of victory Thursday while defending women's champion Coco Gauff crashed
out in her first match at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Open.

Spaniard Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion, led
France's Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-6 (1/3) when rain halted play at the last major
tuneup for the US Open, which starts on August 26.

Top seed Alcaraz, who lost to Novak Djokovic in last year's Cincinnati final,
took a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, also dropping that final to
Djokovic.

Alcaraz is back on hardcourt for the first time since winning at Miami. He
skipped last week's ATP Montreal Masters.

Gauff was eliminated earlier in a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 upset loss to Kazakh spoiler
Yulia Putintseva.

A disappointed Gauff will go back to the drawing board before defending her
US Open crown.

Putintseva, ranked 34th, has made a recent habit of upsets, knocking off top-
ranked Iga Swiatek barely a month ago at Wimbledon.

"I'm really proud of myself," said Putintseva. "These courts are so fast, you
have to just play on instinct. That's what I did."

Gauff became Cincinnati's youngest champion a year ago at age 19 and carried
that success into her first Grand Slam triumph at the US Open.

"I have to work on consistency. overall," Gauff said. "I'm making a lot of
unforced errors, especially when I was up 4-2 (in the third set)," Gauff
said. "Most of the points (Putintseva won) were off (my) errors.

"She's tricky to play, mixes up the ball and likes drop shots, She makes you
earn the match."

Putintseva will next face Spain's Paula Badosa, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya
6-3, 6-2.

Third seed Aryna Sabalenka polished her opening-match record at the event by
defeating Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4.

Sabalenka missed Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics with a right shoulder
injury but feels well.

"I'm happy with my level in the tough moments," Sabalenka said. "Elisabetta
is a difficult opponent. She fought to the last point."

- Zverev advances -

Men's third seed Alexander Zverev, the 2021 champion from Germany, won his
ATP-leading 50th match this season. The German dispatched Karen Khachanov 6-
3, 6-2 in a repeat of his Tokyo Olympic final win.

Zverev, feeling poorly last week in Montreal, said his form is much improved.

"I felt well on court. If you feel good in training it's easier to bring it
to the match," he said. "I just hope my form can get better. I'm happy I got
the win today."

Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta lined up the German's next opponent after
defeating Australian Max Purcell 6-3, 6-3.

Briton Jack Draper accounted for ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost 3-6,
6-4, 7-5. The Greek served for the match leading 5-4 in the third set, but
Draper won 12 of the last 14 points to turn the situation on its head.

Holger Rune defeated Portugal's top player Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (10/8).

Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz, who made a surprise comeback from July knee
surgery by reaching last week's Montreal quarter-finals, won his opener over
Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.

He next faces Italian Flavio Cobolli, who advanced when compatriot Luca
Darderi retired trailing 7-6 (7/4), 3-1 with apparent illness.

In the WTA draw, Elena Rybakina was thwarted in her first match since
Wimbledon, going down 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 as Canadian Leylah Fernandez saved
two match points in an upset of the fourth seed.

Rybakina, who missed the Paris Games with acute bronchitis, suffered with 17
double faults -- including on match points. Even 20 aces could not save her
afternoon.

Elina Svitolina, a semi-finalist here nine years ago, saw off Spaniard
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-1 to next take on Sabalenka.

Sabalenka has won their last two matches, including a Roland Garros quarter-
final in 2023 and a three-setter in Rome three months ago.

Newly minted Armenian Elina Avanesyan stunned eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko
with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 fightback.