Paolini Advances to Cincinnati Open Final

Iga Swiatek of Poland triumphed over Elena Rybakina with a 7-5, 6-3 score on Sunday, paving the way for a Cincinnati Open final showdown against Jasmine Paolini.

Italy’s Paolini clinched a hard-fought victory against Russian Veronika Kudermetova, an unseeded player, in their semifinal match, with the score settling at 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3.

Ninth-seeded Rybakina commenced her match with vigor, establishing a 5-3 lead in the opening set. However, Swiatek demonstrated resilience, leveling the score at 5-5.

From that point onward, the Wimbledon champion maintained control, securing the first set by achieving a second break after Rybakina’s backhand attempt fell short.

Rybakina, who had previously eliminated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinal, faced three early breaks in the second set by Swiatek, granting the latter a 3-1 advantage.

Despite Rybakina’s resistance, Swiatek maintained composure and successfully concluded the match.

The Polish tennis star mentioned that the encounter with Rybakina was challenging. She added that she performed high-quality tennis, which allowed her to secure a spot in the final.

Swiatek’s Comments

“It was a difficult match. The intensity was very high from the start; the game was so rapid that at times, reacting to the second ball became difficult,” Swiatek stated.

“However, I aimed to maintain intensity and quality in my play, and I am very pleased with my performance. My serves were more effective, which was definitely beneficial, and I wouldn’t change anything.”

Conversely, in the other semifinal, Paolini initiated strongly. Kudermetova, representing Russia, rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the second set, pushing it to a decider that the Italian ultimately won.

Paolini noted that after the second set loss, she concentrated on staying present.

Paolini’s Strategy

“After losing the tiebreak, I told myself to refocus on the court, stay present, and avoid dwelling on the past,” Paolini explained.

“I gave my best effort, but it didn’t pay off in the second set. One has to persevere.

“The key was to move on, fight, and stay grounded.”

The women’s singles final is scheduled for August 19.