Swiatek reaches first Cincinnati Open final with victory over Rybakina, Paolini also through to final

Iga Swiatek displayed her championship mentality by storming back from a precarious position to defeat Elena Rybakina 7-5 6-3 on Sunday, finally reaching her first Cincinnati Open final after falling in the semifinals of this crucial U.S. Open preparation tournament in each of the previous two years. The Polish star's resilience proved decisive as she won 10 of the final 13 games to complete a commanding victory.

In the other semifinal encounter, Italy's Jasmine Paolini secured her place in the championship match with a hard-fought 6-3 6-7(2) 6-3 triumph over unseeded Russian Veronika Kudermetova, setting up an intriguing final between two players in excellent form.

The third-seeded Swiatek faced significant challenges during the opening stages of her 98-minute battle against Rybakina, with both players producing tennis of exceptional quality that left spectators mesmerized by the pace and precision on display. However, when Rybakina's level suddenly dropped, the six-time Grand Slam champion seized her opportunity with ruthless efficiency.

Swiatek reflected on the intensity of the early exchanges and her ability to maintain focus throughout the contest. "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 because we played so fast," Swiatek said during her on-court interview. "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 ninth-seeded Rybakina initially appeared to be in control of the opening set, using her powerful groundstrokes to devastating effect. The Kazakhstani player secured a crucial break of serve with a precisely placed cross-court forehand that caught the line, subsequently holding her own service game to establish a commanding 5-3 advantage.

However, Swiatek's championship experience became evident as she refused to accept defeat despite facing such a significant deficit. The former world number one elevated her game when it mattered most, targeting Rybakina's serve with increased aggression and precision to level the score at 5-5 in a remarkable turnaround.

From that pivotal moment, momentum shifted decisively in Swiatek's favor. The Polish star held her serve with confidence before securing the opening set by breaking Rybakina for a second time, capitalizing on a wayward backhand attempt from her opponent that fell well short of its intended target.

Rybakina, who had impressed with her comprehensive victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the previous round, found herself under immediate pressure in the second set. An early backhand error handed Swiatek a 3-1 lead and the third break of serve in the match, effectively putting the result beyond doubt.

The Wimbledon champion attempted to mount a comeback three games later, creating pressure on Swiatek's serve and reaching 15-40 to earn two break points. However, the Polish player demonstrated her mental fortitude by recovering from this dangerous position, successfully protecting her serve to reach 5-2 and maintain her commanding advantage.

Swiatek completed her impressive victory by serving out the match, with Rybakina's forehand return sailing long to confirm the final scoreline. The triumph represents a significant breakthrough for Swiatek at this particular tournament, having previously struggled to advance beyond the semifinal stage despite her obvious quality.

The six-time Grand Slam champion enters the final with a perfect record in Cincinnati, having not dropped a single set throughout her campaign. She will face Paolini in what promises to be an engaging championship match, with Swiatek holding a dominant 5-0 head-to-head advantage and seeking to extend that record to 6-0 in their first encounter since the Bad Homburg Open semifinal in June.

Paolini's path to the final proved equally compelling, as the Italian seventh seed overcame a challenging three-set battle against Kudermetova. Despite making an encouraging start to the match, Paolini was forced to watch her Russian opponent storm back from a 5-3 deficit in the second set to force a deciding third set.

The mental resilience that has characterized Paolini's excellent season came to the fore in the crucial moments, as she regrouped effectively to dominate the final set and secure her place in the championship match with a composed love hold.

Paolini credited her ability to stay present and focused for her success in the deciding set. "I said to myself after losing the tiebreak that I have to step back on court, be in the present and don't think about what happened," said Paolini. "I did my best and it did not work in the second set but you have to keep going. And that was the key, to forget and go back and fight and stay in the present."

SportsLigue