Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula advance to the Cincinnati Open semifinals after a fierce contest.
Confronting the rising star Mirra Andreeva, S̄wiątek turned around a one-set disadvantage to ultimately secure a 4-6 6-3 7-5 triumph, securing a semifinal clash against age-old rival Aryna Sabalenka.
Simultaneously, American Pegula triumphed over Leylah Fernandez in an epic 7-5 6-7 (7-1) 7-6 (7-3) battle, setting up a semifinal encounter against Spain’s Paula Badosa.
Although Pegula and Badosa have only squared off twice, S̄wiątek and Sabalenka are well-acquainted adversaries, perpetually engaged in fierce grapplings for Grand Slam and WTA 1000 titles.
Challenging quarterfinal victories
Andreeva exhibited an outstanding initial set in her duel, breaching S̄wiątek to commence with and disallowing her to capitalize on any of her own break chances, blasting winners such as a formidable forehand down the line to repel them.
An ace from Andreeva shut the lid on the first set, but S̄wiątek demonstrated the tenacity that has earned her the top spot on the circuit by promptly breaching the young Russian in her first service game of the second set.
The Olympic bronze medalist remained break-point free until the last game of the match, with Andreeva eyeing a chance to force a deciding tiebreak but her backhand fell out of bounds, allowing S̄wiątek to seal the victory shortly afterwards.
“It was a tough one, with the third set getting incredibly tight,” S̄wiątek told reporters afterwards. “The first set was tight too, dropping serve at the start and failing to break back, making it quite the rollercoaster ride.”
Sabalenka, on the other side, encountered a smoother quarterfinal victory, subduing Liudmila Samsonova 6-3 6-2.
On the contrasting half of the draw, Pegula engaged in a marathon battle against Fernandez for more than three hours, with the last two sets being decided by tiebreaks, albeit due to both competitors struggling to keep their serves intact.
Seven consecutive breaks marked the first set until Pegula clinched the lead, following which she amassed a 4-0 advantage in the second but Fernandez orchestrated an extraordinary recovery to win five consecutive games and preside over a deciding tiebreak.
The Canadian restored parity and staged another comeback in the third set to fend off three match points and send the encounter to another tiebreak, but she couldn't muster enough to vanquish Pegula.
“Mentally, it was quite a challenge today, undeniably,” Pegula relayed to the Tennis Channel afterwards. “It was wildly erratic, first and second set... I managed to persevere in the end.”
Siątek's victory over Andreeva in their tense semifinal match showcased her love for the sport, as she displayed tenacity and resilience, overcoming a one-set deficit and securing the win with a 4-6 6-3 7-5 scoreline.
Andreeva's strong performance in tennis was evident in the quarterfinals, where she showcased outstanding serves and powerful hits, including a formidable forehand down the line, to take the first set against Szwiątek.
