Sawangkaew beats Jimenez Kasintseva in Cincinnati qualifying

Mananchaya Sawangkaew controlled the Cincinnati qualifying semifinal from the outset, seeing off Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-3 6-3 in a straight-sets win that never lost its shape. The difference was what happened behind the first delivery: the Thai won 73.8 percent of her first-serve points from 59.2 percent of first serves in, while Jimenez Kasintseva landed a nearly identical 59.7 percent but converted just 48.6 percent of those points. Sawangkaew's six double faults were the one blemish, offset by the Andorran's inability to hurt her on the opening ball. It moves the Thai to the brink of the main draw.