Iga Swiatek surges into Cincinnati Open final after comeback clinic over Elena Rybakina

Iga Swiatek is the first into the Cincinnati Open final after seeing off Elena Rybakina in straight sets on Sunday but it didn't tell the full story in what was a missed opportunity for the Kazakh in her first week back with Stefano Vukov as her 'official' coach.

Rybakina received a welcome boost of having Vukov cleared and he was immediately back on site to be there on being cleared. She has had an incredible week bookended by that win over Aryna Sabalenka which was sheer serving domination from start to finish. At the start of her tie against Iga Swiatek, it was much of the same but Swiatek came back superbly from being on the brink of losing the first set.

Rybakina went 5-3 up in the first set but for the third time in as many weeks, she lost the set that she was serving for. All of which have come also in semi-finals. But after being on the brink, Swiatek came back to win four games on the spin to take the opening set.

But it was a set that could always turn on a knife edge too. Both were serving supremely with Rybakina and Swiatek going through five games in just 14 minutes with three aces and 9/9 first serves from Rybakina through the opening stanza. She went 4-3 up playing a great return game. But Swiatek turned it around to hold for 6-5 down. Rybakina tried to serve to get to a tie-break but couldn't do so as the flip was certainly flipped and Swiatek led 7-5. A missed opportunity that got away.

In set two, it was more of Swiatek's ball game as she found the extra fuel from winning that opening set and dodging the requisite scare. She held emphatically for 2-1 before then overturning yet another deficit. This time it saw Rybakina 40-30 up on her own serve and also advantage but Swiatek turned the deuce in her favour to end the game winning it 3-1 for a break which proved to be the final nail. She emphatically held serve from there to go 4-1 up and even had chances to go 5-1 up from there.

She went 40-0 up on the Rybakina serve as the Kazakh was staring down the barrel of going from a first set sat there begging to likely heading out but that is the luck of the draw. She turned it around though completing a turnaround to make it 4-2. But Swiatek also tasted break opportunities the opposite way as Rybakina was 40-15 up on her serve. As was the route of the match though, Rybakina couldn't complete it and Swiatek kept it steady and in play and found her way through into a 5-2 near insurmountable lead. The streak continued of break points. Swiatek's way this time as she looked to seal the match. She went 40-15 up and it looked to be well and truly game over.

But it was a protracted process to get there. She spurned two match points and Rybakina was on the verge of holding suddenly for 5-3. She reached advantage twice and sealed a hold so it was now up to Swiatek to find a way through and seal the deal.

But amid pressure again from Rybakina, Swiatek finally got it done before a potentially protracted second set was upon us. She will now aim to win yet another title after sealing Wimbledon. She puts a poor Canada behind her and will be favourite to become champion tomorrow in Cincinnati in the last rung before the US Open.

She faces either Veronika Kudermetova, the resurgent Russian or Jasmine Paolini, resurgent but albeit has been steady. They face off shortly for a spot in the final. While with Sinalcaraz already confirmed, Swiatek will be heavily favoured to seal the title. A 13th career WTA 1000 final awaits.