Iga Swiatek stages comeback to reach Cincinnati Open semifinals, set to clash with Coco Gauff

The match began with a first-set nail-biter. Swiatek found herself trailing Vondrousova 5-4 initially. Demonstrating her champion mindset, she made a determined comeback to level the set at 5-5. However, what followed was a series of unexpected twists as both competitors lost their succeeding service games, plunging the set into a tie-break. Capitalizing on two pivotal mini-breaks, Swiatek secured the set 7-3. Carrying this momentum, the second set was distinctly in Swiatek's favor. With an early break and successful hold, she surged ahead with a 2-0 lead. Consistently in command, Swiatek sealed the match after two additional breaks, finishing the spirited contest in just 93 minutes.

Reflecting on her performance and tactics, Swiatek remarked on the WTA Tour website, “At the beginning, it wasn’t easy to get used to her lefty spin, but I’m happy that I kind of played better and better throughout the whole match. At the end, I was really solid.” She further emphasized her tactical gameplay, stating, “I made good decisions and chose the right solutions to win these points. The most important (thing) is to use your opportunity and I’m happy that I did that.”

The next challenge for Swiatek is the promising American talent, Coco Gauff. Gauff, coming off a smooth victory against Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-2, will undoubtedly be banking on the home crowd's support. Notably, Gauff is yet to secure a set against Swiatek in their previous seven encounters.