Iga Swiatek wins Cincinnati Open title, defeats Jasmine Paolini

CINCINNATI (AP) — Third-ranked Iga Swiatek captured the Cincinnati Open title by defeating No. 7 Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 on Monday night.

Swiatek has won all six meetings against the Italian, dropping only one set in those matches.

Paolini jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set but Swiatek roared back to go ahead 5-3. Paolini broke serve to get even at 5-5, but Swiatek closed out a first-set victory in 56 minutes.

Swiatek’s eighth ace of the match gave her a 5-3 lead in the second set. Paolini broke serve twice in the second set and was within 5-4, but Swiatek was able to serve out the match for her 24th career singles title.

She had failed to advance past the semifinals in her six previous appearances at the Cincinnati Open. Swiatek reached the semifinals in Cincinnati each of the past two years, but lost to eventual champions Coco Gauff in 2023 and Aryna Sabalenka in 2024.

Paolini is the first Italian woman to reach the finals in Cincinnati. Since she was a qualifier at the Cincinnati Open in 2023, Paolini has reached two Grand Slam singles finals, won a Grand Slam doubles title and an Olympic gold medal.

The Cincinnati Open is considered a tuneup for the U.S. Open, which begins Sunday in New York. The last two years, both the men’s and women’s Cincinnati Open champions went on to win the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.

Carlos Alcaraz won the men’s final earlier Monday when Jannik Sinner retired due to illness during the first set.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis