Cincinnati Open: Aryna Sabalenka sets up final with Jessica Pegula after win over world No 1 Iga Swiatek
Aryna Sabalenka earns fourth win in 12 career meetings against Iga Swiatek; Jessica Pegula in hard-fought 6-2 3-6 6-3 win over Paula Badosa; watch US Open Qualifying on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+ which is integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the app
Aryna Sabalenka convincingly beat world No 1 Iga Swiatek to set up a Cincinnati Open final with Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka, who is set to move up to second in the rankings after the tournament, secured her fourth career win – and first this season – over Swiatek in 12 meetings thanks to a blistering, aggressive approach.
Sabalenka broke the Swiatek serve five times in total as she won 6-3 6-3, though she did briefly threaten to let her opponent back into the contest when spurning nine match points before finally converting the 10th.
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Up 5-1 in the second set, Sabalenka raced into a 40-0 advantage on the Swiatek serve for three of those match points, with a further four following in an epic game that went to deuce six times.
Sabalenka was then broken when serving for the match, having spurned two more match points, as Swaitek suddenly threatened a stunning comeback. But, eking out yet another opportunity on the Pole’s serve in her subsequent service game, Sabalenka finally closed things out.
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“That was definitely a tough moment of the match,” Sabalenka told Sky Sports. “I kept telling myself she is world No 1 and is going to fight till the very last point.
“I just tried to remind myself to stay aggressive, keep pushing her and hopefully get this win.”
The Belarusian will compete in her ninth WTA 1000 final on Monday, searching for a sixth win, as she goes up against US sixth seed Pegula, who is looking to go back-to-back following her Canadian Open triumph last week.
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Pegula made it nine wins in a row as she secured a hard-fought 6-2 3-6 6-3 win over Spain’s Paula Badosa in the other women’s semi-final that suffered a lengthy interruption due to rain.
Pegula cruised through the opening set and forced an early break in the second before Badosa fought back after the weather intervened.
Having forced Pegula into a decider, it was the American who ultimately prevailed after securing the crucial break of serve in the eighth game of the final set.
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