“It’s already in the past,” Aryna Sabalenka looks ahead to the Cincinnati Open final after a dominant win over Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka reached her third WTA Masters 1000 final at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday (August 18) after beating Iga Swiatek.

“It’s already in the past,” Aryna Sabalenka looks ahead to the Cincinnati Open final after a dominant win over Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X)

Third seed Aryna Sabalenka put on tennis domination against Iga Swiatek, beating the World No.1 6-3, 6-3 in the Cincinnati Open semifinals. The Belarusian player ended a three-match losing run against the World No.1, including two defeats in 2024.

Sabalenka displayed her full array of shotmaking and movement, never allowing Swiatek to settle. Despite saving 10 match points, the third seed kept coming at her opponent before eventually crossing the finishing line.

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It’s already in the past. I want to focus on staying in the moment. A victory like this over Iga, which was a dominating performance, has to hit you different than just another win.
Aryna Sabalenka said on Tennis Channel after the game

Though Sabalenka’s serve percentage was only 52 percent, she still won 67 percent of her first-serve points and 53 percent of her second. Swiatek struggled with her second serve, winning just 20 percent of those points. Sabalenka broke Swiatek’s serve five times, while Swiatek only had two break point opportunities.

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Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka’s major landmarks after beating Iga Swiatek in the Cincinnati Open semifinal

World No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka defeated World No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 in the Cincinnati Open semifinals on Sunday (August 18). The Belarusian tennis player will now face either Jessica Pegula or Paula Badosa in the final. A win would give Sabalenka her 15th WTA title and her first since winning the Melbourne crown in January.

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via Imago)

This is Sabalenka’s fifth final on the WTA Tour this season. With this result, she will move up to No. 2 in the rankings, overtaking Coco Gauff. This also means she will be seeded second at the US Open.

Sabalenka will pass Elena Rybakina in the WTA Race to the Finals, moving to No. 2 behind Swiatek, who has already qualified for the year-end event. This sets up a strong position for the 26-year-old in the race for the season-ending championships.

Before this win, Sabalenka had lost three previous semifinal matches in Cincinnati. She made her first semifinal in 2018, losing to Simona Halep, followed by losses to Caroline Garcia in 2022 and Karolina Muchova in 2023. By beating Swiatek, Sabalenka earned her fourth win against a World No. 1 and will play in her ninth WTA 1000 final.

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