WORLD No. 1 Iga Swiatek finally crossed Cincinnati off her list of missing trophies, rallying past Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4, on Monday night (Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, PH time) to capture her first Western & Southern Open -- also known as the Cincinnati Open -- crown.
The four-time Grand Slam champion overcame a shaky start, falling behind 0-3 in the opening set, before settling into rhythm with powerful groundstrokes and precise defense.
Swiatek reeled off five of the next six games to seize control, then held firm in the second set to complete the win in one hour and 46 minutes.
“It means a lot to me,” Swiatek said. “This year, I really wanted it. I’m just very happy. It’s nice to check off the list another tournament that I haven’t won. I have friends here. It’s a nice, relaxed tournament before New York.”
For Paolini, playing in her second straight major final-level event after her breakout season, the result capped another strong run. But Swiatek’s victory marks her 23rd career WTA title and further cements her dominance ahead of the US Open.
On the men’s side, the championship match ended in disappointment as Carlos Alcaraz claimed the title after rival Jannik Sinner retired due to illness trailing 5-0 in the first set. The match lasted just 23 minutes.
Tournament officials said Sinner, the world No. 2, had been struggling with fever and fatigue throughout the day. After a brief consultation with trainers, he was unable to continue, handing Alcaraz his second Masters 1000 title of the year.
During the awarding ceremony, Alcaraz told Sinner: “This is not the way that I want to win trophies. I just have to say sorry, I can understand how you must feel now... As I said many times, you are a true champion and I am sure from these situations, you are going to come back even stronger, as you always do.”
For his part, Sinner addressed the crowd, apologizing, “I’m super, super sorry to disappoint you. From yesterday I didn’t feel great. I thought that I would improve during the night, but it came up worse. I tried to come out… but I couldn’t handle more, so I’m very sorry.”
The contrasting finals highlighted the unpredictable nature of the Cincinnati Open.
Swiatek battled through to secure a long-awaited title, while Alcaraz’s victory was tinged with sympathy for a rival cut short by illness.
Both now head to New York as top contenders for the US Open, which begins Aug. 25. / FROM THE WIRES