or Iga Swiatek has been the No. 1 player in the PIF WTA Rankings. Since Ashleigh Barty retired in April 2022, they have won eight of the 14 Grand Slams.
For a week now, the No. 1-seeded Sabalenka and No. 3 Swiatek seemed to have been on a collision course to meet in the Sunday semifinals of the Cincinnati Open. But on Friday, No. 9 Elena Rybakina
forcefully created an alternative scenario.
Her surprisingly swift and definitive 6-1, 6-4 victory over Sabalenka set up a rare opportunity to produce back-to-back victories over the game’s two most dominant players. Swiatek started the day with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 28 Anna Kalinskaya.
After hitting some turbulence at the end of 2024, she’s back in form and ready for another run at No. 1.
The title at Wimbledon was something a surprise, but after a tidy defeat of Kalinskaya -- who she had never beaten -- Swiatek is into her third semifinal in seven tries at Cincinnati.
A win there would be another step toward the top of tennis, moving Swiatek into her first WTA 1000 final in 15 months -- when she beat Sabalenka in Rome. In the bigger picture, on the heels of her breakthrough victory at Wimbledon, a win would lock down a spot in the WTA Finals for the fifth straight year.
The biggest factor here: Swiatek has a huge edge in energy reserves.
She received a third-round walkover when Marta Kostyuk withdrew with a lingering wrist injury. In the three matches she’s played, Swiatek’s only dropped 19 games. Against Kalinskaya, she served well and the backhand was on point.
After hitting some turbulence at the end of 2024, she’s back in form and ready for another run at No. 1.
The title at Wimbledon was something a surprise, but after a tidy defeat of Kalinskaya -- who she had never beaten -- Swiatek is into her third semifinal in seven tries at Cincinnati.
A win there would be another step toward the top of tennis, moving Swiatek into her first WTA 1000 final in 15 months -- when she beat Sabalenka in Rome. In the bigger picture, on the heels of her breakthrough victory at Wimbledon, a win would lock down a spot in the WTA Finals for the fifth straight year.
The biggest factor here: Swiatek has a huge edge in energy reserves.
She received a third-round walkover when Marta Kostyuk withdrew with a lingering wrist injury. In the three matches she’s played, Swiatek’s only dropped 19 games. Against Kalinskaya, she served well and the backhand was on point.
Before meeting Sabalenka, Rybakina was extended to three sets against Renata Zarazua, Elise Mertens and Madison Keys -- and she specifically mentioned the need to recover in her on-court interview.
Rybakina came into the season with a 4-2 head-to-head edge on Swiatek, but has lost all three matches this year, at the United Cup in Australia, Doha and Roland Garros. That should give Swiatek a big advantage in confidence.
Swiatek has never been to the final in Cincinnati. She’d love to head into the US Open with that momentum.
wtatennis.com
Well Kalinskaya turned out to be not much of a threat at all, as I said in my previous post she's always so hot and cold.
Rybakina came into the season with a 4-2 head-to-head edge on Swiatek, but has lost all three matches this year, at the United Cup in Australia, Doha and Roland Garros. That should give Swiatek a big advantage in confidence.
Swiatek has never been to the final in Cincinnati. She’d love to head into the US Open with that momentum.
wtatennis.com
Well Kalinskaya turned out to be not much of a threat at all, as I said in my previous post she's always so hot and cold.
And today it was the latter.
Iga did serve much better though and kept her foot on the gas for most of the match. Stayed calm and steady despite another day of scorching temperatures.
Of course now is the time Rybakina seems to be finding some form and staying true to her serve boting roots and easily takes out Sabalenka.
Whatever the result come Sunday I hope Iga looks it at as a bit of a free for all and just plays with freedom if she wins great, if not at least she'll have a few extra days off before the last Grand Slam of the year in NYC.
She can and probably will take a lot of confidence in having a positive H2H with Rybakina now (having beaten her 3 times this year).
Another thing that might work in her favor is the weather it's suppose to be extremely hot on Sunday and Rybakina has already been through some pretty physical tests, if Iga can do the same in those conditions and really push her physically it might just give her the edge having more in the tank.
I won't lie and say that very selfishly I want Iga to win so bad especially now with Coco Gauff going out to Jasmine Paolini.
Will be rooting my heart out on Sunday.
But if it doesn't happen as I said at least she'll have a bit extra time for travel and rest.
Jazda!
21- Since the introduction of the Tier1/WTA-1000 format in 1990, Iga Swiatek is the third youngest player to reach 21 semi-finals in such events, only older than Martina Hingis and Maria Sharapova. Cruising.
21- Since the introduction of the Tier1/WTA-1000 format in 1990, Iga Swiatek is the third youngest player to reach 21 semi-finals in such events, only older than Martina Hingis and Maria Sharapova. Cruising.
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