SABALENKA FINALLY BREAKS S-FINAL BARRIER

She'll be world No. 2 after beating Swiatek; Sinner ends losing streak against Zverev

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Aryna Sabalenka squandered nine match points before defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 on Aug 18, breaking through to her first final at the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open.

The four-time Cincinnati semifinalist will rise to second in the WTA rankings with a week to go before the start of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.

"I finally broke the barrier," she said of her place in the final. "It was such a tough battle with Iga, and we also had to be patient with the weather."

Raindrops required the court lines to be dried by towels during several short interruptions.

On Aug 18, Sabalenka will face American sixth seed Jessica Pegula, a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 winner over Spain's Paula Badosa. The match took place after press time.

Pegula, who won the Toronto title two weeks ago, is the third American in the Open Era to reach the Canadian and Cincinnati finals in the same year, after Rosie Casals (1970) and Serena Williams (2013).

Sabalenka had a battle on her hands to close out her win, with Swiatek putting up a huge battle in the closing stages.