Top-ranked Jannik Sinner outlasted Alexander Zverev in a third-set tiebreaker to reach the final of the Cincinnati Open, while No. 1 Iga Swiatek was defeated in the women's semifinals by No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka. (More Tennis News)
Sabalenka will face American Jessica Pegula in Monday's final, while Sinner will play eith🍃er American Frances Tiafoe or No. 15 seed Holger Rune.
Sinner on Sunday emerged with a 7-6(9) 5-7 7-6(4) victory after 3 hours, 7 minutes, tying Casper Ruud for the ATP Tour lead by reaching his fifth final of the season. S♏inner le♈ads the tour with four titles this season.
The first set lasted more than an hour and the match also w👍as suspended for 30 minutes by rain.
Zverev, the No. 4 seed, had won four straight meetings against Sin🍰ner. Sinner finished with a🐬 124-121 edge in total points.
"I think we both raised our level when it counted," Sinnꦺe🐓r said.
"The tiebreaker can go both ways. I just tried to stay there mentally. Obviously,♓ I'm happy to be in the final."
Sinner, who's been dealing with a right hip👍 issue, was seen grabbing that area early in Sunඣday's match but said he came through fine physically.
"Sometimes I feel it," Sinner said.
"I have to check 🦂after this tournament here. I haven't had too much time to recover before coming here. I'm not worried yet. I'm happy to play."
Sabalenka reached the finals in Cincinnati for the first time with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Swi🍎atek, ending the five-time𝔍 Grand Slam winner's 15-match winning streak and avenging losses in the finals in Madrid and Rome.
"Really happy♌ with the win, especially against Iga, who is always a tough battle," Sabalenka said.
"To get the win in straight sets, 🃏t🧸hat's kind of an achievement for me."
Swiatek, who's be🥀en on top of the WTA rankings for 116 weeks, was ꦇsatisfied with her week in Cincinnati.
"I pretty much did b💞etter than I expected, honestly, especially on this surface," Swiatek said.
"I'm happy with the re𒈔sult anyway, and already focusing𒅌 on what I need to do to feel even better in New York."
T🌄he US Open begins the𓃲re on August 26. Swiatek won the title in 2022.
Pegula, the No. 6 seed, beat Paula Badosa 6-2 3-6 6-3 after their semifinal was suspended 𝓰more than an hour by rain.
She is the third American to reach the finals at the Canadi😼an and Cincinnati Open in a calendar y🌄ear, the first since Serena Williams in 2013.
"We🔴've had a lot of great battles in the past," Sabalenka🥀 said.
"She's a great player. Goin🌳g to be another gꦚreat match."
