Cincinnati: Aryna Sabalenka sends Iga Swiatek home, ends losing streak to Pole

Advertisemen

Aryna Sabalenka has just ended her three-match losing streak against Iga Swiatek after beating the Pole in the Cincinnati semifinal.

In the past, 26-year-old Sabalenka three times lost in the Cincinnati last-four stage - including back-to-back semifinal losses in 2022 and 2023.

But this time, Sabalenka managed to get over the hump after ousting Swiatek 6-3 6-3 to set up a final against either Jessica Pegula or Paula Badosa.

Sabalenka started the match with a statement, breaking Swiatek in the second game for an early 2-0 lead. 

But in the very next game, Swiatek managed to get the break back. However, Sabalenka remained unfazed and broke Swiatek again in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead.

This time, Sabalenka didn’t allow Swiatek to get back into the first set as the Belarusian tennis superstar served out for the opener in the ninth game. 

Sabalenka managed to close out the Swiatek match in two sets 

After losing the opener, Swiatek’s struggles continued at the start of the second set. But while Swiatek managed to save a break point in the opening game, she didn’t manage to hold to her serve in the third game as Sabalenka went up by a set and a break. 

In the fourth game, Swiatek had a chance to get the break back but Sabalenka saved it to go 3-1. Then, the third-seeded Belarusian broke the Pole again in the following game for a 4-1 lead before also serving out the following game to open a very comfortable lead of a set and a double break. 

Serving to stay in the match, Swiatek faced seven match points but managed to save all of them to survive for another game. 

And after saving seven match points, Swiatek also saved two match points in the following game before converting her fourth break point in the same game to get one break back. 

But after saving a total of nine match points, Swiatek failed to convert a game point in the ninth game as Sabalenka earned and remixed her ninth match point to complete her two-set win over the Polish world No. 1. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/NAFhEJL

Advertisemen

 Tennis