Iga Swiatek has secured her place at the WTA Finals in November.
World No. 3 Iga Swiatek delivered a commanding straight-sets victory over Elena Rybakina to advance to the Cincinnati Open final, where she is set to face Jasmine Paolini.
The upcoming match will be a rematch of last year’s French Open final, which saw Swiatek of Poland emerge victorious in a dominant performance.
Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, showcased her prowess by defeating Kazakhstan’s Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday, marking her inaugural appearance in the Cincinnati final.
Rybakina, who had previously triumphed over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals, initially displayed strength but was unable to capitalize on an early break in the first set before Swiatek seized control.
“That was a tough match,” Swiatek commented. “At the beginning it was pretty crazy, we played so fast that sometimes we couldn’t even run to the second ball.
“I was there to play with intensity and good quality and I am super happy with the performance.
“It will be super tough in the final. I will have to prepare tactically but I will focus on myself and try to continue the work I have been doing.”
Italy’s Paolini secured her spot in the final after a hard-fought semi-final against Russian Veronika Kudermetova, winning 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3.
Paolini served for the match in the second set, but her advantage slipped away. A key factor in the encounter was Kudermetova’s high number of unforced errors, totaling 75.
The final is scheduled to take place on Monday night.
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