Pegula dethrones Swiatek, sets up Cincinnati final vs. Gauff
CINCINNATI, Ohio: Jessica Pegula rallied from a break down in the deciding set to topple defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-5 4-6 6-4 and reach the Cincinnati Open final on Saturday, while Arthur Fils beat Flavio Cobolli 6-3 6-4 in the Men’s semifinals. World number three Pegula and seventh seed Swiatek traded breaks early in the opening set before rain briefly interrupted play with the score level at 1-1. Pegula returned with purpose, breaking for a 3-2 lead and following it with a love hold for 4-2. Swiatek clawed back, breaking to level at 4-4 before moving ahead. But with the set locked at 5-5, Pegula capitalized on a Swiatek double fault to break for 6-5 before the Pole missed a return and sent an overhead smash into the net to hand Pegula the opener. In the second set Swiatek was more aggressive, breaking in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Pegula broke back and managed to level the contest, but the former world number one sealed the set in the 10th game when Pegula missed a forehand return. Pegula refused to fade after Swiatek moved 3-1 ahead in the decider. The American levelled at 4-4, earned the decisive break in the next game and served out victory after two hours and 47 minutes. “It was a really tough match. She (Swiatek) is in great form. To beat someone who is such a great athlete like Iga in the semis and to make it to another 1000 final, it’s awesome,” Pegula said. Pegula will face on Sunday fourth-ranked Coco Gauff, who defeated unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek, 6-2 6-2, in the other semifinal match. Bejlek, 20, went into their Saturday night semifinal seeking another big upset, having knocked off world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round.