World No. 3 Iga Swiatek booked her place in the Cincinnati Open final for the first time, defeating Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 in a hard-fought semi-final on Sunday.

The Polish star recovered from an early break in the opening set before raising her level to win four straight games and take control of the match. Swiatek then maintained her momentum in the second set, sealing victory in one hour and 38 minutes.

Swiatek’s Strong Performance

“That was a tough match,” Swiatek said afterwards. “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.”

The win keeps Swiatek unbeaten in sets this week in Cincinnati. She is aiming for her second title in her last three tournaments, having won Wimbledon last month.

Paolini Awaits in the Final

In the other semi-final, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini overcame a second-set setback to defeat Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3. Despite failing to serve out the match in the second set, Paolini capitalized on Kudermetova’s 75 unforced errors to close out the deciding set.

Swiatek leads the head-to-head 5-0 against Paolini, including their meeting in last year’s French Open final. She will enter Monday’s final as the clear favourite.

Eyeing US Open Momentum

With the US Open just around the corner, Swiatek is looking to carry this momentum into New York. “Anyone who is going to be in the final will be super tough,” she said. “I will just focus on myself and try to continue the work that I’ve been doing. I feel I have progressed at this tournament.”

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