Building brick by brick towards immortal status, Iga Swiatek secured her first Cincinnati Open title as she defeated Jasmine Paolini by 7-5, 6-4.
The 24-year-old had failed to advance beyond the semi-finals in six previous appearances in the tournament. In 2023, she was defeated by American star Coco Gauff, and in 2024, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ended her run.
But each loss became fuel, each setback a lesson, bringing her one step closer to rewriting the narrative.
Expressing her excitement over her victory to the media, she now feels like she is a good player due to her results and can take on anyone.
“I’m happy with the work we’ve been doing, happy with that process. I’m happy I won in straight sets. I’m a good player. I can play on any surface.”
Since making her first professional tennis debut in 2016 at the ITF Women’s Circuit, she has won 24 Hologic WTA Tour singles titles and 11 WTA 1000. This is her second WTA title of 2025, in just a month after she was crowned Wimbledon Champion.
Third seed Swiatek added, “I don’t know why I win the tournaments that we’re like the last ones in terms of what I thought they were going to be,” Swiatek said at the trophy presentation.
“So, thank you [to my team] for forcing me to become a better player and learn how to play on all these faster surfaces.
“I’m kind of shocked and super happy, so thank you for the awesome support, to the team and to my family back home.”
The Polish tennis star is now eyeing for her second US Open title after winning it in 2022. She will enter the tournament as No 2 seed following her Cincinnati title. The US Open will start on August 24 to September 7 in New York at Flushing Meadows.
Tennis stars that will be competing in this year’s US Open is Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Fritz, Jack Draper, Djokovic, Lorenzo Musetti, Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev.
Tennis Legend Venus Williams is also expected to make a remarkable US Open comeback. The former world No. 1, who is 45 years old, is set to become the oldest singles player to compete at Flushing Meadows since Renee Richards, aged 47 in 1981. This is Williams 25th appearance, 25 years after she first won it in 2000.
