Iga Swiatek, the third seed, defeated Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday to reach her first Cincinnati Open final. The Pole had her hands full in the early stages of the 98-minute match but took advantage of a sudden dip in Rybakina’s form to win four consecutive games and wrap up the first set before easing through the second.
“That was a tough match,” Swiatek said. “At the beginning the level was pretty crazy. We played so fast that sometimes we couldn’t even run to the second ball. But I was there to play with intensity and good quality and I am super happy with the performance. I served much better, so for sure it helped and I wouldn’t change anything.”
In the final, Swiatek will play the Italian seventh seed, Jasmine Paolini, who beat Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3. Paolini served for the match in the second set only to see her advantage slip away, but she eventually completed the job, with Kudermetova’s tally of 75 unforced errors costing her.
In the first semi-final, Rybakina, the ninth seed, used a cross-court forehand that caught the line for a break and then held for a 5-3 lead in the first set but a focused Swiatek came back from the precipice and attacked the Kazakh’s serve to draw level at 5-5. From there, the Wimbledon champion held serve before wrapping up the opening set when she broke for a second time after a Rybakina backhand attempt came up well short.
Rybakina, who enjoyed a swift victory against the world No 1, Aryna Sabalenka, in the previous round, was broken for a third time early in the second set after a backhand error put Swiatek ahead 3-1. Swiatek faced some resistance from Rybakina three games later but dug deep to recover from 15-40 down to protect her serve and reach 5-2 before wrapping it up on serve when Rybakina sent a forehand return long.
Swiatek, who has not lost a set in Cincinnati, will be seeking her second title in her past three tournaments. She won Wimbledon when she swept aside Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final and then lost against Clara Tauson of Denmark in the fourth round in Toronto.
Swiatek will be a heavy favourite in the final on Monday as she looks to go to the US Open with another title under her belt. She is 5-0 in matches against Paolini, including in last year’s French Open final.
“Anyone who is going to be in the final will be super tough,” Swiatek said. “I will just focus on myself and try to continue the work that I’m been doing. I feel I have progressed at this tournament.”
