, Aug. 19 -- World No. 3 Iga Swiatek lifted her maiden Cincinnati Open title on Monday night with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over seventh-ranked Jasmine Paolini.

The Polish star, who had never progressed beyond the semifinals in six previous appearances, finally broke through after falling short to eventual champions Coco Gauff in 2023 and Aryna Sabalenka in 2024.

"It means a lot to me," Swiatek said. "I really wanted it this year. It's nice to check off another tournament I hadn't won. I feel comfortable here - it's a relaxed tournament before New York."

Paolini made a strong start, racing to a 3-0 lead in the opening set before Swiatek fought back to take a 5-3 advantage. Although Paolini leveled at 5-5, Swiatek held firm to close out the se...