Swiatek earns first Cincinnati final berth, will Play Paolini for Trophy
Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini are set to clash in the final of the 2025 Cincinnati Open, with Swiatek holding a perfect 5-0 record against her Italian opponent
Iga Swiatek, Cincinnati 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz
World No. 3 Iga Swiatek qualified for her first Cincinnati final on Sunday, prevailing 7-5, 6-3 over No. 12 seed Elena Rybakina in a high-octane semifinal at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
She will meet Jasmine Paolini, who could have closed out her match against Veronika Kudermetova more easily when she led 6-3, 5-3, 15-30 on the Russian’s serve, but ultimately had to battle to secure her spot (6-3, 6-7, 6-3).
Swiatek arrives at the Cincinnati final with a commanding 5-0 head-to-head record against Paolini, having dropped just one set across their eleven played. The Polish world No. 3’s dominance was underscored in their most recent meetings—on grass in Bad Homburg, and on the big stage in 2024, when she won in straight sets in the Roland Garros final.
How Swiatek controlled Rybakina
Since her challenging clay season, Swiatek has looked in excellent shape on fast courts. The Wimbledon champion showed composure against Rybakina, who tried to replicate the game plan she had used in her semifinal against Sabalenka.
After trailing 5-3 in the opening set (30-30), the four-time Grand Slam champion rallied, winning four consecutive games—including two service breaks—to clinch the first set 7-5.
Down the stretch, Swiatek maintained control from the baseline and capitalized on Rybakina’s physical dip, building a 4-1 lead in the second set. Rybakina fired 10 aces but struggled to sustain her early momentum as Swiatek’s disciplined play kept rallies short and errors at bay.
In total, Swiatek won 78% of her first-serve points and saved two crucial break chances late in the second set. She converted three of eight break-point opportunities (including her first two), compared to Rybakina’s one of four. The victory extends Swiatek’s perfect run through the tournament, where she has yet to drop a set.
Swiatek : “crazy level”
“It was a tough match. The level was pretty crazy at the start, really fast,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview. “I just tried to play with a lot of intensity and consistency. I’m super happy with my performance.”
Rybakina, competing in her seventh Cincinnati appearance, was making her first semifinal at the event after wins over Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys earlier in the week.
