Cincinnati: Arena Sabalenka beat world number one Iga Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday to qualify for her first final at the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open despite losing nine match points. Four-time Cincinnati semi-finalist Sabalenka will move up to second place in the WTA rankings a week before the start of the US Open.

Sabalenka will play the winner of the match between Paula Badosa of Spain and sixth seed Jessica Pegula of the United States in the final on Monday.

Sabalenka had to struggle a lot to win, Swiatek fought tremendously in the final moments of the match. Third-ranked Sabalenka took a 5-1 lead in the second set, but Swiatek showed why he is number one in the WTA rankings, as he repeatedly saved his opponent’s match-winner.

Sabalenka had a break at 5-3, but they eventually scored a tough win, breaking Swiatek from a return winner at the 10th match point, which lasted almost two hours.

I finally broke that barrier,” Sabalenka said about her place in the final. “It was a tough struggle with Iga, and we had to be patient with the weather as well.

Due to the rain, the court lines had to be dried with towels several times.

On match points, I had to say to myself that this is why she is the world number one and will fight till the last point,” Sabalenka said.