Alexandrova edges Blinkova in three sets at Cincinnati

Ekaterina Alexandrova recovered from a first-set tie-break to beat fellow Russian Anna Blinkova 6-7 6-4 7-5 in the Cincinnati round of 64. The all-Russian meeting turned on serve: Alexandrova struck nine aces to Blinkova's three, and although she landed only 56.7 percent of her first deliveries, she won 64.7 percent of those points. Blinkova was steadier finding the box at 59.6 percent, but her nine double faults, against five from Alexandrova, kept handing back momentum, and behind the second serve the pair were nearly level at 44.2 and 45.5 percent. The win carried Alexandrova into the next round of the WTA 1000.