Cincinnati Open: Swiatek Through To Semifinals

World number one Iga Swiatek has secured her spot in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open by beating Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. 

The Polish top seed continued her US Open preparations with 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 victory over Vondrousova to reach the last four.

Swiatek will face either American Coco Gauff or Italian Jasmine Paolini next.

The Pole, in her 72nd consecutive week at world number one, begins her title defence at Flushing Meadows on 28 August.

Swiatek came from behind to progress against Zheng and was almost faced with the same challenge against Vondrousova as she trailed 5-3 in the opening set.

Also Read: Cincinnati Open: Swiatek Speaks Against Online Abuse

24 year old Vondrousova,  had not faced a break point until then but when serving for the set at 5-4 she hit two double faults before the four-time Grand Slam champion broke her to love and then rallied to win the tie-break.

Swiatek then powered through the second set, breaking serve three times to reach her 10th semi-final of the year.

Vondrousova, who claimed a shock win at SW19 earlier this summer, was competing in her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in more than three years.

World number seven Gauff will face 43rd-ranked Paolini in the quarter-finals after the Italian’s last-16 opponent Elena Rybakina retired because of injury.

Elsewhere in the last eight,Africa’s Ons Jabeur plays world number two Aryna Sabalenka in a repeat of their Wimbledon semi-final, which Tunisia’s Jabeur fought back to win.

Cincinnati Open: Swiatek Through To Semifinals.

BBC Sports