Swiatek Conquers Cincinnati: First Title and 24th in Her Career

Iga Swiatek Wins the Cincinnati Open

World number three tennis player Iga Swiatek won the Cincinnati Open title for the first time in her career, after defeating Jasmine Paolini, number seven in the ranking, with a score of 7-5 and 6-4 on Monday night. Swiatek, who had not managed to overcome the semifinals in her six previous participations in the tournament, finally achieved victory in this prestigious event.

“It means a lot to me. I really wanted it this year. I am very happy. It’s good to cross off another tournament that I hadn’t won. I have friends here. It’s a nice and relaxed tournament before New York,” Swiatek commented.

Iga Swiatek

Swiatek has maintained a dominance over Paolini, winning all six encounters between them and losing only one set in those matches. In the first set, Paolini took the lead with a 3-0, but Swiatek reacted and went 5-3. Although Paolini tied the score, Swiatek closed the set in 56 minutes. In the second set, Swiatek secured a 5-3 lead with her eighth ace. Paolini managed to break serve twice, getting closer at 5-4, but Swiatek sealed the victory, earning her 24th singles title and the eleventh in WTA 1000 events. This triumph allows Swiatek to break the tie with Victoria Azarenka (10) and position herself as the second player with the most 1000-level titles since this format was introduced in 2009, surpassed only by Serena Williams (13).

“This season hasn’t been easy. I’ve had areas to improve. It’s not easy to win tournaments when everyone expects you to,” added Swiatek.

Iga Swiatek

Swiatek committed seven double faults, while Paolini only had two, but the Polish player stood out with nine aces, compared to Paolini’s none.

“When the exchanges were happening, I felt good on the court. The serves made the difference. When I needed an ace, she got it,” said Paolini.

Jasmine Paolini

Paolini, the first Italian to reach the final in Cincinnati, has had a remarkable performance, including two individual Grand Slam finals, a Grand Slam doubles title, and an Olympic gold medal.

“It was definitely a positive tournament for me. It wasn’t enough, of course. I just need to improve,” Paolini concluded.

Jasmine Paolini

The Cincinnati Open serves as preparation for the US Open, which will begin on Sunday in New York. It is worth noting that in the last two years, the Cincinnati Open champions, both in men’s and women’s, won the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. In the men’s final, Carlos Alcaraz was crowned champion after Jannik Sinner withdrew due to illness during the first set.