Jasmine Paolini knows the numbers don’t look good. Five matches against Iga Świątek, five losses. But heading into the 2025 Cincinnati Open final, the Italian isn’t backing down from the challenge that has defined some of her biggest moments on tour.
What Did Jasmine Paolini Say About Facing Iga Świątek in the 2025 Cincinnati Open Final?
Świątek and Paolini’s most recent meeting came in the 2025 Bad Homburg Open semifinals, where the former World No. 1 dominated with a 6-1, 6-3 victory. Świątek would go on to reach that final but fell to Jessica Pegula.
At the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Paolini entered as the seventh seed and started her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She opened with a hard-fought win against Maria Sakkari, prevailing 7-6(2), 7-6(5). The Italian then found her rhythm, defeating 26th seed Ashlyn Krueger 7-6(2), 6-1 and dispatching Barbora Krejčíková 6-1, 6-2 in the third and fourth rounds.
However, Paolini’s most impressive performance came in the quarterfinals against second seed Coco Gauff. After dropping the first set 2-6, the former World No. 4 mounted a comeback victory, winning 6-4, 6-3 to advance. She then secured her spot in the final by outlasting Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 in a grueling semifinal.
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Following her victory over Kudermetova, Paolini addressed the challenge ahead during her post-match on-court interview. She was honest about the difficulty of facing Świątek, calling the Pole an “amazing player” while acknowledging their history has been “tough.”
Despite the daunting matchup, Paolini expressed confidence in the Cincinnati conditions and her determination to compete for the title. The Italian made it clear she’s ready to battle for her biggest WTA title to date.
“It’s been really tough against her. She’s an amazing player, and it’s always tough to play her. She’s defending really well and serving good as well. So it’s going to be tough, but you know, I’m trying to do my best. We are in the final. I like the conditions here. So let’s fight. Hopefully it’s going to be a good match,” Paolini said.
Meanwhile, Świątek has looked dominant on her own path to the final. The third seed started her tournament run in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She cruised past Anastasia Potapova 6-1, 6-4, then received a walkover against 25th seed Marta Kostyuk before defeating Sorana Cîrstea 6-4, 6-3.
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The former World No. 1 continued her strong form by beating 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4 and then outlasted ninth seed Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 in a quality semifinal to set up the championship clash.
After the Cincinnati Open, Where Will Paolini and Świątek Compete Next?
Following the conclusion of the 2025 Cincinnati Open, both Paolini and Świątek will turn their attention to the year’s final Grand Slam. The US Open is scheduled from August 24 to September 7, 2025, on the outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City.
Both players have recent history at Flushing Meadows that shows the tournament’s unpredictable nature. In 2024, Świątek entered as the top seed and looked strong through the early rounds.
In the first four rounds, she defeated lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova, qualifier Ena Shibahara, 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and 16th seed Liudmila Samsonova. However, her campaign ended in the quarterfinals when she fell to eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula, the sixth seed.
Paolini’s 2024 US Open run as the fifth seed included victories over Wild Card Bianca Andreescu, Karolína Plíšková (walkover), and 30th seed Yulia Putintseva. Her tournament ended in the fourth round with a loss to Karolína Muchová, showing that both players will be eager to improve on their previous New York performances.
