Machine-like Swiatek marches on in Cincinnati defence

Iga Swiatek continues to make a habit of winning. The defending champion swept past France’s Diane Parry 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open for a fourth consecutive year, extending a run of ruthless consistency at an event she has made her own.

Standing between Swiatek and a place in the last four is the winner of second seed Elena Rybakina and No 14 seed Diana Shnaider. Should Rybakina come through, it would tee up a mouth-watering rematch of the recent Canadian Open final – and a chance at revenge for the Pole’s opponent.

Parry actually made the brighter start, breaking Swiatek in the very first game, but the response was instant: Swiatek broke straight back and never relinquished control. The Frenchwoman was broken five times in all, and although she managed another break to lead 5-2 in the second set, Swiatek simply reeled her back in, closing out the match on the Parry serve.

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It was the Pole’s ninth win in a row on Tour, and an eighth straight victory in Cincinnati.

The result underlined just how prolific Swiatek has become. It was her 30th WTA 1000 quarter-final, a staggering total at just 25 years old, reached in only 48 appearances at that level. Since the 1000 format was introduced in 2009, only Serena Williams (45 tournaments) and Agnieszka Radwanska (46) have got to 30 faster.

It is also her fifth WTA 1000 quarter-final of 2026, and a 32nd win of the season.