Cincinnati winners: Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka take it

Jannik Sinner
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Jannik Sinner was ready to become ticked off, as he wasn’t playing great, but soon enough, he started to nail the ball. The Italian won Cincinnati, beating Frances Tiafoe 7-6(4), 6-2 in the final. It was close in the tiebreaker, but after that, he took off, as he controlled on the lines, into the corners, and deep, too.

He has yet to win the US Open, but clearly, the No. 1 will have a legitimate shot to grab it. Yes, before that, when he decided not to play at the Olympics, as he was physically hurt,  but when he plays, he can beat anyone, with his hard strokes.

 This season, he has won Cincinnati, the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Miami and Halle. Here, in the semis, he edged against Alexander Zverev  7-6(9), 5-7, 7-6(4), in a massive show. 

“It has been a tough week, some ups and downs, which is normal to have,” Sinner said. “But how I handled the very important moments in each match, I’m very happy.” 

Yes, when he is on, he looks terrific, but when he starts to use some odd errors, he can back off, like he did at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. But now he is on the hardcourts, which he really likes it. His confident is rising. However, last year at the 2023 U.S. Open,  he lost versus Zverev in five sets. Can they go against each other one more time? Possibly, yes.

Tiafoe had a very good week, the best during this season, as he did not go deep at all until in Cincy. His thoughts came back, slowly, but when he is locked in, then he can be much more patient. A few years ago, he reached the semis at the US Open, so now, if he can hang in there, then the No. 20 can continue to beat a number of very good people.

“I’ve been struggling for a really long time so to have a week like this really means a lot,” Tiafoe said. “You guys know how tough it’s been for me for a while, so to have a week like this is great… Let’s stay with it.”

(3) A. Sabalenka def. (6) J Pegula 6-3 7-5

Aryna Sabalenka also won the 2024 Australian Open this year, but this time in the United States, she won it, too, beating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5 in the final at Cincinnati. Perhaps the most important was that in the semis she knocked down the No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semis, who has beat her eight times, but on Sunday, Sabalenka played tremendous, and she beat her 6-3, 6-3, now the third time. She didn’t lose a set, and her  power was phenomenal. She certainly can over hit, and force herself, but when she really thinks, then she can raise the game. 

The American Pegula had two wonderful weeks, winning Toronto and then she reached into the final in Cincy. She can be so CONSISTENT, and she will attack more, but finally, on Monday, she looked tired. On Sunday in the semis, she out hit  Paula Badosa 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, but it was very long, side by side. When she gets into the US Open, then she will feel refreshed, but Pegula has yet to reach into the semis at the Slams, so perhaps she gets pretty nervous. This time, she can breath.

Sabalenka can be up and down, month after month, but she plays a lot, so the No. 2 can be angry. However, she is trying to be much more patient. PA

Maybe she can win it in Flushing Meadows. 

“I would say that I’m really playing great tennis,” Sabalenka said, “probably not like the best tennis I can play, but I’m definitely getting there.

And with every match I play, I feel better, better and better and hopefully at the US Open, I can keep building the level, I can reach maybe even higher level than I used to play.

I think I was really emotional in Washington and Toronto coming back after after injury. I was overreacting, and I just stepped back and realized that I played my great tennis when I was calm and confident, that no matter what’s going on the court, I’ll be able to keep fighting.