Top-ranked Jannik Sinner and women's No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka emerged victorious in the finals of the Cincinnati Open, securing their first titles at the tournament. Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5, marking her first title since the Australian Open in January. On the other hand, Sinner, who celebrated his 23rd birthday recently, triumphed over American Frances Tiafoe with a score of 7-6 (4), 6-2, becoming the youngest Cincinnati champion since Andy Murray in 2008.
Sinner expressed his happiness with his position and emphasized the importance of mental strength and recovery ahead of the upcoming U.S. Open, scheduled to commence on August 26. Both Sinner and Tiafoe reached their first Cincinnati finals, with Tiafoe showcasing resilience by forcing a tiebreak in the first set before ultimately falling to Sinner.
Tiafoe's journey to the final was marked by overcoming challenges, including a quarterfinal win due to an opponent's injury and saving match points in the semis. Notably, an American male player has not clinched the Cincinnati title since Andy Roddick in 2006.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka's victory propelled her to the No. 2 spot in the rankings, and she sailed through the tournament without dropping a set, claiming her 15th WTA title. The Belarusian, now considered a strong contender for the U.S. Open, expressed confidence in her current form and aims to elevate her performance further at the upcoming Grand Slam event.
In her final match against Pegula, Sabalenka dominated early on, securing a 4-1 lead in the first set within 17 minutes. Despite Pegula's efforts to level the second set, Sabalenka's consistent play and strong serving sealed her victory in a 1-hour, 14-minute match. Pegula, who faced a demanding path to the final, acknowledged Sabalenka's high-level performance and the challenges posed by her opponent's strong serve.
With her win, Sabalenka joins an elite group of players with 10 or more WTA titles since 2020, including top-ranked Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka's triumph over Swiatek in the Cincinnati semifinals further underscored her competitive prowess and sets the stage for an exciting showdown at the U.S. Open.
Overall, the Cincinnati Open finals showcased exceptional talent and determination from both Sinner and Sabalenka, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament and building anticipation for the upcoming Grand Slam event in New York.
