Iga Swiatek showcased her dominance, defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4 to secure her spot in the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open 2025. With this victory, Swiatek inches closer to her first WTA 1000 final in 15 months and solidifies her path toward a fifth consecutive WTA Finals appearance.
Iga Swiatek’s dominating performance
Iga Swiatek started the game on a high note. She won an impressive 24 of 30 first-serve points and 15 of 23 second-serve points, facing just one break against her.
Her ability to stay composed under pressure was evident, as she noted in her on-court interview: “Just played my game. For sure, it wasn’t easy. Just happy I was solid and had the intensity to apply pressure.”
Anna Kalinskaya’s challenge and resilience
Anna Kalinskaya, 26, entered the match with momentum, fresh off a final in Washington, DC, and strong showings in Montreal. Kalinskaya registered a 13-10 career record against Top 10 players, including a win over Swiatek in their only prior meeting at last year’s Dubai semifinal.
In Cincinnati, she had already taken down No. 7 Amanda Anisimova and No. 15 Ekaterina Alexandrova, aiming to defeat three Top 20 players in a row for just the third time in her career.
However, a left calf issue disrupted Kalinskaya’s rhythm early. After a medical timeout in the first set, she struggled to hold serve, allowing Swiatek to break at a critical moment. Despite saving two set points and pushing Swiatek to love-30 at 5-3, Kalinskaya couldn’t capitalize, and Swiatek closed the set.
The second set
The second set saw both players trading blows. Swiatek broke Kalinskaya early, but the Russian fought back, leveling the score. A loose game from Kalinskaya, marked by a forehand error, handed Swiatek a crucial 4-3 lead.
Kalinskaya showed grit, saving four match points, but Swiatek sealed the victory on the fifth when Kalinskaya’s return drifted long. This win highlighted Swiatek’s ability to stay poised in high-pressure moments.
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What’s next for Iga Swiatek?
Iga Swiatek, now a three-time Cincinnati semifinalist, awaits the winner of the high-stakes clash between World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 9 Elena Rybakina. A victory on Sunday would propel her to her first Cincinnati final, a milestone yet to be achieved at this WTA 1000 event, alongside Canada.