With a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Jasmine Paolini, Iga Swiatek won the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open for the first time, adding to her long-awaited career tennis puzzle.
The Polish champion converted on six of her break opportunities while Paolini struggled to make the most of her break opportunities. The final, which lasted less than two hours, featured 16 break-point chances.
With her 11th career victory at the WTA 1000 level, the six-time Grand Slam champion is only a short of Serena Williams’ 13-time winning streak. Without conceding a set, Skiatek won the Cincinnati.
After her first victory in Cincinnati, Swiatek remarked to the Tennis Channel, “It’s always tough in Cincy.”
“This gives me a confidence boost,” I said. We’ve been doing a good job, and I’m pleased with it. I had to be persuaded to play in a different way by the team. After the match, everything feels even better, and I’m happy with that process. I’m pleased that my sets were straight.
The 24-year-old backed up her first Wimbledon title with the Midwest honors, and now heads to the US Open with a significant confidence boost following her 24th career title.
Beginning on Tuesday, Swiatek will compete against Norway’s Casper Ruud in the revamped mixed doubles competition.
READ MORE: [Iga Swiatek] From Wimbledon Champion to Queen of Clay.
On Flushing Meadows’ slower courts, the Pole claimed she enjoyed the challenge. I play well. She said, “I can play on any  surface.
“They , are slowing down the courts , kind of, so I’m not sure how it is now , there. But tennis is all about “adjusting,” not “but”.
Swiatek also surpassed Aryna Sabalenka, the current WTA number one, by 500 points, with the top spot likely to be in play at Sunday’s Open.
Swiatek has only the Canadian tournament, where she hasn’t made the final at a 1000 event, after she had failed twice in the semi-finals of her previous two competitions.
We were both tight on both ends, but that happens in finals, Swiatek said. “Today was tough. In the end, I was pleased to close things out. Although not everything was perfect, I still had the best of my tennis skills. We engaged in a lot of mental exercise. I had a very composed and consistent approach to my game.
Swiatek started badly when she lost her serve and lost the game 0-3. The former number one immediately began her turnaround, though the situation was only temporary.
With two breakups of serve, the Pole took a 5-3 lead.
In the tenth game, Paolini saved a Swiatek set point to square the final at five-all before taking a break of sorts.
Paolini dropped serve for 5-6, giving her opponent the chance to turn a love game into a 7-5 victory after just under an hour of action on the court.
The pair twice exchanged break points before Swiatek saved a pair of break points to take the lead 5-3 before handing the match winner away two games later.
Source: Channels TV
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