In the women’s final, Sabalenka triumphed over Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5, claiming her first title since her victory at the Australian Open earlier this year in January.
Sinner, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Friday, defeated American player Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (4), 6-2. With this win, Sinner becomes the youngest champion at the Cincinnati Open since Andy Murray’s victory in 2008 at the age of 21.
“I’m very happy to be in the position where I am,” Sinner said, as quoted by AP. “I’m just trying to keep going this way mentally. It’s important to recover to be ready for New York. That’s the most important thing.”
The US Open is set to commence on August 26 in New York City.
In Cincinnati, Sinner and Tiafoe both reached their maiden finals, surpassing their previous best performances of reaching the third round.
Despite Tiafoe’s efforts to force a tiebreak in the opening set, a series of three consecutive errors resulted in a 7-6 loss.
Sinner established a commanding 5-1 lead in the second set, but Tiafoe managed to save three match points, narrowing the gap to 5-2. However, Sinner ultimately prevailed, successfully serving out the match to secure the victory.
Tiafoe’s journey to the final was marked by unusual circumstances. In the quarterfinals on Saturday, he claimed the first set before his opponent, Hubert Hurkacz, retired due to a calf injury. Subsequently, in the semifinals, Tiafoe showcased his resilience by saving two match points and defeating Holger Rune in a thrilling three-set encounter.
An American male tennis player hasn’t secured the championship in Cincinnati since 2006, when Andy Roddick achieved the feat.
Sabalenka, who climbed to the No. 2 position in the rankings prior to the match, showcased her dominance by winning the tournament without dropping a single set. This victory marks her 15th WTA title.
Despite her previous struggles in Cincinnati, where she had never advanced beyond the semifinals, losing three times at that stage, Sabalenka finally broke through to claim the trophy.
At 26 years old, Sabalenka has established herself as a top contender for the upcoming U.S. Open. The Belarusian player was forced to miss Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury but made her return to the tour two weeks ago in Washington.
“I would say that I’m really playing great tennis,” Sabalenka said. “Probably not the best tennis I can play but I’m definitely getting there. Hopefully at the US Open I can reach even higher levels.”
Sabalenka quickly established a commanding 4-1 lead in the opening set against Pegula, taking just 17 minutes to assert her dominance. Despite Pegula’s efforts to mount a comeback, including breaking Sabalenka’s serve for the first time to level the second set at 5-5, her five double faults proved costly.
Sabalenka, however, remained focused and determined, claiming the next two games to secure victory in a match that lasted 1 hour and 14 minutes.
“She was playing at a high level and never really came down,” Pegula said. “When she’s serving really well, it’s tough, especially on these fast courts.”
Pegula, the sixth-ranked player, faced a tough journey to reach the final. Following her successful title defense in Toronto, the American had to play two matches on Friday due to delays caused by weather conditions. Additionally, three of her matches extended to three sets.
“I’m proving to myself that I can play a lot of matches and overcome a lot of challenges,” Pegula said. “I’m looking forward to not doing anything for a few days.”
Sabalenka joined top-ranked Iga Swiatek as the only players with 10 or more WTA titles since 2020. She beat Swiatek in the Cincinnati semis.
