In a thrilling match at the Cincinnati Open, top-ranked Iga Swiatek managed to extend her match winning streak to an impressive 15 games by defeating 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Swiatek’s next challenge will be against third-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who secured her spot in the semifinals with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory over 10th-ranked Liudmila Samsonova.
Jannik Sinner also had an impressive performance at the tournament, avenging his previous loss to No. 6 Andrey Rublev with a hard-fought victory of 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. This win not only secured his place in the semifinals but also marked him as the first Italian man to reach the Cincinnati semis in the Open era. Sinner expressed his satisfaction by saying, “It was very windy and I tried to be as consistent as possible. First time that I’ve played a semifinal in this place, so that’s very positive.”
Swiatek and Sabalenka will face off in the semifinals, a match that is highly anticipated as they have met twice this year, with Swiatek emerging victorious on both occasions. With an 8-3 record against the two-time Grand Slam winner, Swiatek acknowledges Sabalenka’s strength saying, “We’re both players that kind of deserve to be in semifinals and finals, because we’re working very hard. I respect Aryna so much. Physically, she’s always fighting and has lots of power.”
On the men’s side, Sinner is set to play against No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who defeated Ben Shelton 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 to secure his spot in the semifinals. Zverev, the only former champion remaining in the draw, will pose a tough challenge for Sinner, having won their last four encounters.
Frances Tiafoe advanced to the semifinals for the second consecutive year due to Hubert Hurkacz’s retirement in the second set because of a calf injury. Tiafoe’s opponent will be the winner of the match between Holger Rune and Jack Draper. In the other women’s quarterfinal, No. 6 Jessica Pegula secured her first semifinal berth in Cincinnati by defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-7, 7-6. Pegula will face Paula Badosa, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-2. Commenting on her upcoming match, Pegula mentioned, “Paula is really playing some good tennis. She turned her year around and is finding some form.”
The semifinals at the Cincinnati Open promise to deliver exciting and competitive matches as the top players in both the men’s and women’s draws battle it out for a spot in the final. Fans can expect intense performances and high-level tennis from the remaining contenders.