Świątek is one step away from historic success. Her rival is helpless.

The WTA 1000 hard-court tournament in Cincinnati is the final test for the tennis players before the US Open. In the first semifinal of this year's tournament , Iga Świątek faces Jelena Rybakina . The third-seeded Pole was considered the favorite.

This was the tenth career match between the players. Iga Świątek has a slightly better record – she has won five times, including all three matches played this year.

Even before the semifinals began, it was clear that the Kazakhstani player would be a tough opponent. In the quarterfinals, she put on a show, eliminating world ranking leader Aryna Sabalenka.

Iga Świątek – Jelena Rybakina. A great start for the Polish actress.

The opening moments of the semifinals made it clear that the match between Świątek and Rybakina would be a close one. The players alternated between winning games to zero. The Pole's first problems appeared at 3-3. Jelena Rybakina won three rallies without major problems. After converting her second break point, she secured her first break of the day.

After her sixth ace, the Kazakh representative took a 5-3 lead. However, Iga Świątek didn't let up. The Pole displayed several successful moves and won three games in a row. After a phenomenal finish, she took the first set (7-5) .

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