Iga Swiatek displayed incredible humility and sportsmanship after winning her maiden Cincinnati Open title by honoring Jasmine Paolini’s tremendous abilities as her final opponent in their championship matchup. Although Swiatek boasted an unassailable record against Paolini heading into the final, Swiatek did not underestimate her challenge by planning her approach accordingly: stating, “I will prepare tactically but mostly just focus on myself”. Her approach paid dividends as she overcame an initially difficult start to win her match and thank Paolini profusely after.
Swiatek battled back after an early lead from Paolini to take two sets 7-5 and 6-4 with ease in an arduous contest, before stopping Paolini with some outstanding play in set 2. She took time at victory ceremony to praise Paolini, setting aside more renowned contenders such as Aryna Sabalenka or Coco Gauff to express her admiration of Paolini’s performance and character; noting her potential threat at US Open while appreciating Paolini as part of team locker room team spirit!
Swiatek’s comments at the ceremony underscored her respect for Paolini, “Thank you, everyone. First of all, great speech Jasmine. Congrats for the whole tournament. As usual, you’re playing great. Hopefully, we’re gonna play the final at the U.S. Open in the next two weeks.” Her acknowledgment extends beyond the court, praising Paolini for being a positive force among their peers. With this win, Swiatek moved past Coco Gauff in the WTA rankings, securing the No. 2 seed for the US Open.
A Year of Surprises for Swiatek
Swiatek had experienced a relatively quiet year prior to her success at Wimbledon; her triumph on grass, however, represented an important turning point. Swiatek shared her delight and shock upon realizing her ability to excel on grass courts when this hadn’t been expected at first – an emblematic win of not just resilience and perseverance but the power to surprise herself as much as anyone.
After her success at Cincinnati, Swiatek contemplated her unexpected victories and wondered at first why so many have come from tournaments she initially considered beyond her ability. With Gauff and Sabalenka also having proven themselves at majors before now, Swiatek remains hopeful for another major triumph this summer at US Open.