Poland’s Iga Swiatek Secures First Cincinnati Open Final after Beating Rybakina

Poland’s world-class star Iga Swiatek  has achieved a new milestone in her career, advancing to her first-ever Cincinnati Open final after defeating Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 in a high-quality semifinal battle. The straight-sets win not only showcased Swiatek’s trademark intensity but also underlined her adaptability under pressure against one of the WTA Tour’s most dangerous opponents (Reuters).

The semifinal lasted just under 100 minutes, but it was filled with momentum swings. Swiatek, seeded third, looked on the brink of losing the opening set when Rybakina surged to a 5–3 lead. Yet, in a remarkable show of resilience, the Pole turned the tide, winning 10 of the last 13 games to close out the match and seal her spot in Sunday’s championship round

Tactical battler and key turning points

The clash between Swiatek and Rybakina—two players who have faced off in high-stakes matches over the past two seasons—was billed as one of the highlights of the tournament, and it lived up to expectations.

• Fast start by Rybakina: Using her flat groundstrokes and deep returns, the Kazakh star raced ahead to control the first set at 5–3.

• Swiatek’s comeback: The Pole tightened her serve and extended rallies, forcing errors from Rybakina to break back and eventually steal the set 7–5.

• Clinical second set: Świątek broke early and never relinquished the lead, keeping her composure during pressure points to close out the match 6–3.

The result extends Swiatek’s dominance in the tournament, as she has yet to drop a set this week in Cincinnati (Reuters).

Iga Swiatek’s candid reflections

In her post-match comments, Swiatek acknowledged the blistering pace of play:

“That was a tough match. At the beginning the level was pretty crazy, we played so fast that sometimes we couldn’t even run to the second ball… I am super happy with the performance. I served much better… I wouldn’t change anything.”

Rivalry context

The Swiatek–Rybakina rivalry has become one of the most compelling on the women’s tour. Rybakina had previously won three of their last four meetings, including at the Australian Open and Indian Wells in 2023, where she exposed vulnerabilities in Swiatek’s defensive game. Saturday’s victory therefore carries extra weight for the Pole, both in terms of personal confidence and head-to-head momentum.

Next up: Jasmine Paolini awaits in the final

Swiatek will meet Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the Cincinnati Open final. Paolini, who defeated Veronika Kudermetova in a grueling three-set semifinal (6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3), has enjoyed a breakthrough season but faces an uphill battle against Swiatek. The Polish star leads their head-to-head 5–0, including a dominant win at the Bad Homburg Open earlier this year.

Still, Paolini’s confidence is sky-high after reaching her first WTA 1000 final, and her aggressive baseline play could test Świątek if she maintains consistency across sets.

Broader implications for Swiatek

This victory holds significance beyond Cincinnati. According to AS, Swiatek’s semifinal win already confirmed her place at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh. A Cincinnati title would further enhance her ranking points and could potentially push her closer to reclaiming the World No. 2 spot (AS).

It also signals her readiness ahead of the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year. A strong showing in New York could solidify her status as the tour’s most consistent force, particularly as she seeks to defend her top-tier ranking and add to her growing collection of major titles.