By Richard Osborn
Swiatek seeks title protection; Bejlek eyes first 1000 crown
[7] IGA SWIATEK (POL) VS. [3] JESSICA PEGULA (USA)
NOT BEFORE 3 P.M. | P&G STADIUM COURT
It’s been an odd yr for defending Cincinnati Open champion Iga Swiatek, who, till her run to the National Bank Open title in Toronto earlier this month, hadn’t actually been taking part in like the previous No. 1 and 6-time main singles titlist we all know so properly. But renewed by a ten-match win streak on the North American arduous courts, she’s once more taking part in with Iga-like authority.
“I needed to win some matches against good players to feel a little bit more confident,” stated Swiatek, who superior to the ultimate 4 when Elena Rybakina retired with a foot harm trailing 1-4 within the opening set. “I would say I feel a bit calmer, more sure of what I’m doing, more confident in tough situations.”
“I feel like Iga’s kind of gotten back to her game a little bit, kind of found her footing and her base, winning matches like we’re used to seeing her win,” stated the Pole’s semifinal opponent, American Jessica Pegula. “Iga is always scary.”
These foes are greater than conversant in one another’s video games. They’ve met a dozen occasions on the court docket, with Swiatek holding a slight 7-5 edge within the head-to-head. The 25-yr-outdated claimed their most up-to-date encounter earlier this yr within the Rome quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-2.
“Jess has a great ability to predict where her opponents are going,” stated Swiatek. “The ball is really coming hard off her racket. She’s tricky. For sure, it’s going to be a challenge. American players also are more pumped to play tournaments in the U.S., so I’ll be ready for her best version. We’ve played many tough matches against each other.”
Pegula, a finalist right here two years in the past, owns 4 WTA 1000 titles, her most up-to-date coming earlier this yr in Dubai. She leads her tour counterparts in match wins on the season with 44.
SARA BEJLEK (CZE) VS. [4] COCO GAUFF (USA)
NOT BEFORE 7:30 P.M. | P&G STADIUM COURT
It’s by no means straightforward going into the unknown. That’s what Coco Gauff can be doing when she faces off with Czech upstart Sara Bejlek for the primary time within the 2026 Cincinnati Open semifinals. But if anybody is supplied to deal with the uncertainty, it’s the 2-time Grand Slam champ Gauff, who’s all however at dwelling on the courts of the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
“She’s such an athletic, fast player; really makes you earn every point. She’s a fighter,” stated Gauff of her 20-yr-outdated opponent, who this week is having the run of her life. “I think it’s going to be a tough match, because I feel like we have some similarities movement-wise. I’m looking forward to it.”
The extremely-athletic Bejlek, who cracked the Top 50 within the PIF WTA Rankings earlier this yr when she nabbed the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi title as a qualifier, has been a large killer this week, having taken down three former Grand Slam champions in countrywoman Barbora Krejcikova, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and residential-turf favourite Madison Keys. The 5-foot-3 Bejlek will strive for a fourth on Saturday when she goes up towards Gauff, the 2023 US Open and 2025 Roland Garros winner.
Surprisingly, Gauff, the Cincinnati Open titlist three years in the past, continues to be in search of her first trophy of 2026. Could it come right here on Sunday?
“I feel like every match is getting better here,” stated Gauff, 22. “I feel like I’m more decisive with my serve. Even if I go down a break or get broken, I know that’s more and more a rare occurrence. That gives me a little bit more confidence going for my shots, especially when I’m returning.”
A semifinalist in Dubai, Wimbledon and Toronto, and a finalist in Miami and Rome, Guff is concentrated on taking issues a step or two additional in Ohio.
“It’s about not thinking about it too much,” she stated. “I think Rome was the only match where I felt like I was really nervous going into the final, and it showed. But the rest of the semis and finals I lost, I honestly wasn’t nervous going into it. I just didn’t play my best tennis. At Wimbledon, I was super close. On match point — that was literally the only point of the match I was nervous, which sucks. But it happens, and just being put in those positions, they’re going to give me more clarity for the next time.”