It was difficult to be down, but in the second set, I pushed myself. She needed just one, converting immediately to cap a run of four straight games. It was semi-final one at the 2025 Cincinnati Open—a marquee clash between Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina that lived up to the billing. The Pole also reached the quarterfinals in Wuhan, but lost to Jasmine Paolini in straight sets. Swiatek consolidated with another straightforward hold for 4–1, then threatened to run away with the set. Iga Swiatek opened Set 2 with a solid hold, though Elena Rybakina initially pressured her serve.
Sabalenka celebrates 500th WTA match with win over Paolini in Riyadh
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- Her forehand found its range, turning those errors into winners.
- The final two sets were all Rybakina, as she flipped the script on Swiatek.
- She not only claimed the honors in Strasbourg and Ningbo, but also reached the semifinals in Toronto, Cincinnati, and Tokyo.
- It was difficult to be down, but in the second set, I pushed myself.
- Swiatek has started well after a disappointing set of results in the last few weeks.
- She needed just one, converting immediately to cap a run of four straight games.
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Rybakina responded with a fighting hold from 0–30 down, but Swiatek immediately struck — breaking at love for 2–1. Elena Rybakina surged ahead with two mid-set breaks, racing to a 5–3 lead and earning the chance to serve out the opener. By then, she had built real scoreboard pressure, putting Swiatek on the defensive and looking poised to dictate the set.
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- The last player to qualify for Riyadh, she is now off to the semifinals after her win.
- The second seed won 83% of her first serve points and saved five break points against the American.
- The Pole also reached the quarterfinals in Wuhan, but lost to Jasmine Paolini in straight sets.
- “I was improving in each match, and the results were following after.
- Iga Swiatek opened Set 2 with a solid hold, though Elena Rybakina initially pressured her serve.
- Elena Rybakina surged ahead with two mid-set breaks, racing to a 5–3 lead and earning the chance to serve out the opener.
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Iga Swiatek vs Elena Rybakina preview, head-to-head, prediction, and betting tips WTA Finals 2025
Swiatek has started well after a disappointing set of results in the last few weeks. “I was improving in each match, and the results were following after. Monday’s win also marked her 11th victory over a top two player since Wimbledon 2022, the most of any player in that span. The victory extends Rybakina’s dominant stretch of play not just in Riyadh, but across the entire Asian Swing.
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- Rybakina responded with a fighting hold from 0–30 down, but Swiatek immediately struck — breaking at love for 2–1.
- The victory extends Rybakina’s dominant stretch of play not just in Riyadh, but across the entire Asian Swing.
- It was semi-final one at the 2025 Cincinnati Open—a marquee clash between Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina that lived up to the billing.
- The 27-year-old rocketed seven aces and won 79% of her first serve points.
- By then, she had built real scoreboard pressure, putting Swiatek on the defensive and looking poised to dictate the set.
- Swiatek consolidated with another straightforward hold for 4–1, then threatened to run away with the set.
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Pegula beats Gauff in tense three-setter at WTA Finals
She not only claimed the honors in Strasbourg and Ningbo, but also reached the semifinals in Toronto, Cincinnati, and Tokyo.
Iga Swiatek Saves Set, Then Steals It from Rybakina
The last player to qualify for Riyadh, she is now off to the semifinals after her win. The 27-year-old rocketed seven aces and won 79% of her first serve points. The second seed won 83% of her first serve points and saved five break points against the American. The final two sets were all Rybakina, as she flipped the script on SlotLounge Swiatek. Her forehand found its range, turning those errors into winners. “She brings so much intensity to the court,” Rybakina said after the match.