Aryna Sabalenka secured her spot in the Cincinnati Open final by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a decisive match. Sabalenka, poised to rise to second in the world rankings following the tournament, triumphed over Swiatek 6-3, 6-3, marking her fourth career victory against the top-ranked player and her first in their 2024 meetings.
Sabalenka’s success came from her aggressive and relentless approach, which allowed her to break Swiatek’s serve five times during the match. Although Sabalenka encountered a tense moment near the end, where she failed to convert nine match points, she finally closed out the match on her tenth attempt.
Leading 5-1 in the second set, Sabalenka quickly earned three match points on Swiatek’s serve at 40-0. Swiatek, however, showed resilience by saving multiple match points and pushing the game to deuce several times. Sabalenka then faced a setback as she was broken while serving for the match, giving Swiatek a chance to claw her way back. Despite this, Sabalenka maintained her composure and ultimately sealed the win on Swiatek’s serve in the following game.
Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka acknowledged the challenge of facing the world’s top player, stating, “I knew she would fight until the very last point. I just kept reminding myself to stay aggressive and focused to secure the win.”
Sabalenka will now compete in her ninth WTA 1000 final, aiming to claim her sixth title at this level. Her opponent in the final will be Jessica Pegula, the American sixth seed, who is coming off a recent victory at the Canadian Open.
Pegula earned her place in the final by overcoming Spain’s Paula Badosa in a rain-affected semi-final. Pegula took the first set 6-2 and initially led in the second before Badosa mounted a comeback after the weather delay. Despite the shift in momentum, Pegula regained control in the final set, breaking Badosa’s serve in the eighth game to secure a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory, extending her winning streak to nine matches.
The Cincinnati Open final is set to be a thrilling encounter, with both Sabalenka and Pegula entering the match in excellent form, each determined to capture the title.
