In a highly anticipated final, Iga Swiatek secured her first Cincinnati Open title on Monday night, defeating Jasmine Paolini with a final score of 7-5, 6-4. The victory marks a significant milestone for the third-ranked player, who had previously been stopped in the semifinals on her last two attempts at the tournament.
The match began with a spirited start from Paolini, who quickly took a 3-0 lead in the first set. However, Swiatek, known for her powerful comeback abilities, rallied to win five of the next six games. The Italian fought back to level the score at 5-5, but Swiatek ultimately prevailed, closing out the set in just under an hour.
The second set followed a similar pattern of close competition. Swiatek used her powerful serve and forehand to gain a 5-3 lead, but Paolini once again broke serve to get within one game. Displaying her championship form, Swiatek then served out the match to secure her 24th career singles title. For Paolini, who became the first Italian woman to reach the Cincinnati final, the loss extends her head-to-head record against Swiatek to 0-6. The Cincinnati Open serves as the final tune-up for the U.S. Open, which begins next Sunday.