World number one Aryna Sabalenka and second-ranked Coco Gauff were sent crashing out of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Friday as Carlos Alcaraz fought off a fierce challenge from Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals.

Elena Rybakina powered into her first Cincinnati Open semi-final after stunning defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-1 6-4 on Friday, while five-times Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a second-set blip to beat Andrey Rublev.

Twice down break point while two games from victory against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina stepped up to serve. She had let victory slip through her fingers against Sabalenka two months earlier in Berlin, squandering four consecutive match points in a third-set tiebreak. She had suffered close losses from winning positions all year.