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News18
an hour ago
- Sport
- News18
Iga Swiatek Beats Elena Rybakina In Straight Sets To Enter Cincinnati Open Final
Iga Swiatek will now face Jasmine Paolini, a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2024, in the title clash on Monday. For the first time in her career, Iga Swiatek advanced to the final of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open, overcoming Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 to set up a title clash with Jasmine Paolini. The six-time Grand Slam champion earned a Monday evening final against an opponent with nothing to lose after Paolini managed to 'forget" a patch of bad form to claim a 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova. The 29-year-old, who was a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2024, will aim for the fourth title of her career when she faces Swiatek, who is preparing for her 13th final at the 1000 level as she moves closer to reclaiming the world number two ranking. Swiatek, the current Wimbledon champion, recovered from an early break in the first set and surged past the 2022 All England winner Rybakina, who had defeated world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals. The former world number one from Poland, now ranked third, had previously stalled twice at the semi-final stage of this pre-US Open event but secured her chance at the title on her third attempt. 'It was a great match, and at the beginning, I was even surprised that I could keep up with the pace because we played so fast," Swiatek said. 'I wanted to be there when Elena starts making mistakes. It's impossible to maintain such a high level throughout the whole match." Swiatek recovered from 3-5 down in the first set, winning the last four games. She then jumped to a 4-1 lead in the second set, sandwiching a pair of love service games around a break of Rybakina's serve. However, Kazakhstan's Rybakina made her work for it, fending off three break points in the sixth game and saving two match points in the eighth before Swiatek closed it out a game later. 'I was playing with intensity and quality," Swiatek said. 'I feel good about my game right now and would not change anything." Swiatek has defeated Paolini in all five of their previous meetings, with the Italian winning just one set. Nonetheless, Swiatek is ready for a tough final against a player who beat world number two Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals. 'Anyone who is there will have been playing well," she said. 'Keep fighting' Before her 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon final win over Amanda Anisimova last month, Swiatek had been in a trophy drought, with her last title coming in June 2024 at Roland Garros. Another victory on Monday would be a strong springboard into the US Open, where first-round play starts on August 24. Paolini looked set for a straight-set victory but failed to serve out her match at 5-4 in the second set and admitted the lapse left her nervous. 'The key was to forget, get back into the fight and stay in the present," Paolini said after wrapping up the win in two and a quarter hours. 'I was fighting in the second set and all was fine. But I got nervous and thought I would lose the tiebreaker. I came back onto the court in the third set trying not to think about what had happened. You have to keep going." With AFP Inputs tags : Cincinnati Open Elena Rybakina Iga Swiatek Jasmine Paolini tennis view comments Location : Cincinnati (USA) First Published: August 18, 2025, 08:34 IST News sports Iga Swiatek Beats Elena Rybakina In Straight Sets To Enter Cincinnati Open Final Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
RTHK
4 hours ago
- Sport
- RTHK
Swiatek, Paolini to face off in Cincinnati Open final
Swiatek, Paolini to face off in Cincinnati Open final Swiatek needed just over 90 minutes to defeat Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina. Photo: Reuters World number nine Paolini overcame a second set blip against Veronika Kudermetova to advance. Photo: Reuters Iga Swiatek reached the final of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open for the first time after surging past Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 to book a title clash with Jasmine Paolini. The six-time Grand Slam champion earned a Monday evening final against an opponent with nothing to lose after Paolini managed to "forget" a patch of bad form to claim a 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova. The 29-year-old, who was a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2024, will bid for the fourth title of her career when she faces Swiatek, who is set to compete in her 13th final at the 1000 level as she closes in on a return to world number two. Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, recovered an early break in the opening set and powered away to beat 2022 All England winner Rybakina – who had swept past world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals. The former world number one from Poland now ranked third, had twice stalled at the semi-final stage at the pre-US Open event, but booked her title chance on her third opportunity. "It was a great match, and at the beginning, I was even surprised that I'm able to keep up with the pace, because we played so fast," Swiatek said. "I wanted to be there when Elena starts making mistakes," she added. "It's impossible to play such a good level throughout the whole match." Swiatek recovered from 3-5 down in the opening set, sweeping the last four games. She jumped to a 4-1 lead in the second, sandwiching a pair of love service games around a break of Rybakina's serve. But Kazakhstan's Rybakina made her work for it, fending off three break points in the sixth game and saving a pair of match points in the eighth before Swiatek closed it out a game later. "I was playing with intensity and quality," Swiatek said. "I feel good about my game right now and would not change anything." Swiatek has beaten Paolini in all five of their prior meetings with the Italian winning just one set. But Swiatek said she was prepared for a tough final against a player who beat world number two Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals. "Anyone who is there will have been playing well," she said. (AFP)
Japan Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
World No. 3 Swiatek powers past Rybakina into Cincinnati WTA final
Poland's Iga Swiatek fires off a forehand on the way to a semi-final victory over Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open tennis Iga Swiatek reached the final of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open for the first time on Sunday, surging past Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 in a match played in sweltering summer conditions. Poland's Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, recovered an early break in the opening set and powered away to beat 2022 All England winner Rybakina -- who had swept past world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals. Swiatek, a former world number one now ranked third, had twice stalled at the semi-final stage at the pre-US Open event, but booked her title chance on her third opportunity. She will vie for the title on Monday against either seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini or Veronika Kudermetova. "It was a tough match," Swiatek said. "At the beginning it was crazy, so hot and we were playing so fast." The six-time Grand Slam champion recovered from 3-5 down in the opening set, sweeping the last four games. Swiatek jumped to a 4-1 lad in the second, sandwiching a pair of love service games around a break of Rybakina's serve. But Kazakhstan's Rybakina made her work for it, fending off three break points in the sixth game and saving a pair of match points in the eighth before Swiatek closed it out a game later. "I was playing with intensity and quality," Swiatek said. "I feel good about my game right now and would not change anything." Swiatek said she was prepared for a tough final, no matter who she faces. "Anyone who is there will have been playing well," she said. "Each of them play completely different tennis. I'll have to figure out my tactics. I've progressed well at this tournament and I want to continue that." Before her 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon final win over Amanda Anisimova last month, Swiatek had been in a trophy drought with her last prior title coming in June 2024 at Roland Garros. Another victory on Monday would be a strong springboard into the U.S. Open, where first-round play starts on August 24. © 2025 AFP
Observer
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Observer
Alcaraz to face defending champ Sinner in Cincinnati ATP final
Cincinnati: World number one Jannik Sinner and hot rival Carlos Alcaraz will face off in a major final for the fourth time this season after both booked straight-set wins into the title match at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday. Defending champion Sinner ruthlessly subdued 136th-ranked qualifier Terence Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 while Spanish second seed Alcaraz defeated an ailing Alexander Zverev, who was suffering badly from the 32 Celsius heat and humidity, by 6-4, 6-3. Alcaraz and Sinner have played for trophies this season in Rome, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, with the Italian winning their most recent at the All England Club last month. Sinner, celebrating his 24th birthday, ended Frenchman Atmane's dream run and will now try to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2014-15 to win back-to-back titles in Cincinnati. Sinner, tuning up for the US Open in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon, hasn't dropped a set en route to the final. "It's a very, very tough challenge every time you play a new opponent," Sinner said. "In the later stages of the tournament, the pressure is on; they deserve to be there." Alcaraz will also be playing in his second Cincy final after losing to Novak Djokovic in 2023. The Spaniard increased his ATP season match win lead to 53 in a year of five titles. Alcaraz broke Zverev once in the opening set to claim it before the German, who is diabetic, began feeling poorly and took a medical timeout off court after the third game of the second set. Zverev, who has retired in only two matches since 2014, came back out to finish what was a patchy match from Alcaraz, who double-faulted for times in the second game of the second set but won the last 12 points with Zverev running on fumes. "We started well with good rallies, a good level," Alcaraz said. "All of a sudden, he felt bad and I was thinking more about how he was feeling instead of playing good tennis. "It was tough and I just wish him all the best." Alcaraz said he is keen to try and take his Wimbledon revenge on Sinner in the unorthodox Monday final. "We always bring our best tennis. We raise each other's level. I'm ready to take the challenge," Alcaraz said. "I will try and adjust my game better and correct what I did wrong in our last match. I want to be ready with my 100%. Mentally I'll be ready - I'm excited for Monday." Alcaraz in action during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. — Reuters - 'Pressure was on me' - Atmane gave birthday boy Sinner a Pokemon card shortly before they went on court, but he was in a less giving mood once they were underway. But Sinner surrendered just three points in his first six service games as they went to the tiebreaker with neither man facing a break point. Atmane double-faulted on the first point of the decider and Sinner was away, powering to a 5-2 lead and pocketing the set at his second opportunity. "My experience helped in the first set," he said. "I'm very happy to go through to another final. "I tried to focus on myself, how I usually play, and then try to adapt a little bit to his game style," Sinner said. "And that's exactly what I did today. "The pressure was on me. That's normal in the position where I am in — he was ready to fight." "My goal has always been the US Open, but we have put in the work here, in the gym and in practice. I just hope to be ready for New York." Sinner showed a first sign of vulnerability as he needed five game points to hold serve in the opening game of the second set. But that was the closest look Atmane got at his serve, and Sinner broke the Frenchman for a 3-1 lead and again to seal the match. Atmane, who is projected to crack the top 70 in the world rankings, became Sinner's 22nd straight French victim since May 2021, when he lost to Arthur Rinderknech in Lyon. — AFP
The Hindu
a day ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Cincinnati Open ATP: Carlos Alcaraz to face defending champion Jannik Sinner in final
World number one Jannik Sinner and hot rival Carlos Alcaraz will face off in a major final for the fourth time this season after both booked straight-set wins into the title match at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday (August 16, 2025). Defending champion Sinner ruthlessly subdued 136th-ranked qualifier Terence Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 while Spanish second seed Alcaraz defeated an ailing Alexander Zverev, who was suffering badly from the 32 Celsius heat and humidity, by 6-4, 6-3. Alcaraz and Sinner have played for trophies this season in Rome, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, with the Italian winning their most recent at the All England Club last month. Sinner, celebrating his 24th birthday, ended Frenchman Atmane's dream run and will now try to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2014-15 to win back-to-back titles in Cincinnati. Sinner, tuning up for the US Open in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon, hasn't dropped a set en route to the final. 'It's a very, very tough challenge every time you play a new opponent,' Sinner said. 'In the later stages of the tournament,the pressure is on, they deserve to be there.' Alcaraz will also be playing in his second Cincy final after losing to Novak Djokovic in 2023. The Spaniard increased his ATP season match win lead to 53 in a year of five titles. Alcaraz broke Zverev once in the opening set to claim it before the German, who is diabetic, began feeling poorly and took a medical timeout off court after the third game of the second set. Zverev, who has retired in only two matches since 2014, came back out to finish what was a patchy match from Alcaraz, who double-faulted for times in the second game of the second set but won the last 12 points with Zverev running on fumes. 'We started well with good rallies, a good level,' Alcaraz said. 'All of a sudden he felt bad and I was thinking more about how he was feeling instead of playing good tennis. 'It was tough and I just wish him all the best.' Alcaraz said he is keen to try and take his Wimbledon revenge on Sinner in the unorthodox Monday final. 'We always bring our best tennis. We raise each other's level. I'm ready to take the challenge,' Alcaraz said. 'I will try and adjust my game better and correct what I did wrong in our last match. I want to be ready with my 100%. Mentally I'll be ready -- I'm excited for Monday.' 'Pressure was on me' Atmane gave birthday boy Sinner a Pokemon card shortly before they went on court, but he was in a less giving mood once they were underway. But Sinner surrendered just three points in his first six service games as they went to the tiebreaker with neither man facing a break point. Atmane double faulted on the first point of the decider and Sinner was away, powering to a 5-2 lead and pocketing the set at his second opportunity. 'My experience helped in the first set,' he said. 'I'm very happy to go through to another final. 'I tried to focus on myself, how I usually play, and then try to adapt a little bit to his game style,' Sinner said. 'And that's exactly what I did today. 'The pressure was on me. That's normal in the position where I am in -- he was ready to fight.' 'My goal has always been the US Open, But we have put in the work here, in the gym and in practice. I just hope to be ready for New York.' Sinner showed a first sign of vulnerability as he needed five game points to hold serve in the opening game of the second set. But that was the closest look Atmane got at his serve, and Sinner broke the Frenchman for a 3-1 lead and again to seal the match. Atmane, who is projected to crack the top 70 in the world rankings, became Sinner's 22nd straight French victim since May 2021, when he lost to Arthur Rinderknech in Lyon.
