(No. 3) Iga Switek def. (No. 7) Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4
World No. 3 Iga Swiatek won her first Cincinnati Open title on Monday night, defeating seventh-ranked Jasmine Paolini in a hard-fought final. The win marked Swiatek’s 24th career singles title and her 11th at the WTA 1000 level, further solidifying her dominance on tour just a month after lifting the Wimbledon trophy.
For years, Cincinnati had been one of the few major stops where Swiatek had yet to break through. She reached the semifinals in each of the past two seasons but lost to eventual champions Coco Gauff in 2023 and Aryna Sabalenka in 2024. This time, however, she completed her run without dropping a set, defeating Top 10 opponents Elena Rybakina in the semifinals and Paolini in the final.
The final began with Paolini racing to a 3-0 lead, putting Swiatek under immediate pressure. At 30-all in the fourth game, Swiatek landed a winner that clipped the line to turn the match and shift momentum her way. From there, she reeled off five straight games to lead 5-3. Though Paolini managed to break back and level at 5-5, Swiatek stayed composed to break again and sealing the opening set in 56 minutes.
The second set was more erratic, seeing 5 total service breaks as both players fought to gain control. Swiatek, however, was clinical in key moments, converting all 6 of her break-point chances across the match. Her eighth ace gave her a 5-3 lead, and though Paolini cut the deficit to 4-5, Swiatek closed out the match on serve after one hour and 49 minutes.
Beyond the title, the win carried additional weight. Swiatek surpassed Coco Gauff in the WTA rankings to reclaim the No. 2 seed heading into the US Open, which begins this Sunday in New York. She also extended her record to 105-0 in WTA 1000 matches after winning the opening set.
The Cincinnati Open has historically been a tuneup event going into the season’s final Grand Slam. In each of the past two years, the men’s and women’s champions went on to win the title in New York. With her form peaking, Swiatek enters Flushing Meadows as one of the clear favorites to win the US Open title.
