Aryna Sabalenka emerged victorious against Iga Swiatek in the women’s singles semi-finals at the Cincinnati Open. Despite missing nine match points, Sabalenka managed to defeat world number one Iga Swiatek with a score of 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday, marking her breakthrough into the final at the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open. This victory, after four previous semi-final appearances in Cincinnati, will elevate Sabalenka to the second position in the WTA rankings, just a week before the US Open commences.
Sabalenka, representing Belarus, celebrated her hard-earned victory against Swiatek with a powerful display, finally breaking through to her first Cincinnati final. She is set to face the winner of the match between Spain’s Paula Badosa and US sixth seed Jessica Pegula in Monday’s final. Swiatek, showcasing her resilience, put up a fierce fight in the closing stages of the match, particularly in the second set.
Sabalenka initially led 5-1 in the second set, but Swiatek, demonstrating why she is ranked at the top of the WTA standings, repeatedly thwarted Sabalenka’s match-winning attempts. Although Sabalenka was broken at 5-3, she ultimately secured her hard-fought victory in the next game, clinching the win with a return winner on her 10th match point after nearly two hours of play.
Reflecting on her success, Sabalenka stated, “I finally broke the barrier.” She acknowledged the tough battle with Swiatek and the challenges posed by the weather, which included several interruptions due to rain. “On the match points, I reminded myself that she is world number one and will fight until the very end. I just had to keep focused and keep pushing towards the win,” Sabalenka added.
This victory also served as a form of redemption for Sabalenka, who had previously lost to Swiatek in Masters-level clay finals in Madrid and Rome earlier in the year.
