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Iga Swiatek Inches Closer to Approaching Serena Williams’ Impressive Record

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Binoy | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 3:03 AM ET

The 2025 season didn’t exactly begin the way Iga Swiatek would’ve hoped. For a player used to setting the pace on the WTA Tour, the early months felt more like a grind than a groove.

But champions have a way of flipping the script, and Swiatek has done just that in emphatic fashion. On Sunday, she added yet another trophy to her growing collection by taking down Jasmine Paolini in the final of the latest WTA 1000 event—a win that carries more weight than just another title. This one puts her within touching distance of Serena Williams on a very exclusive list.

With her win over Jasmine Paolini, Iga Swiatek has now racked up 11 WTA 1000 titles, putting her second on the list since 2009, with only Serena Williams ahead of her. Serena Williams has racked up 13 titles at this level since 2009, the year the WTA first introduced the Premier Mandatory tier that later became known as WTA 1000 events.

Iga Swiatek is finding her groove again. The 24-year-old just picked up her second title of the year and her first WTA 1000 since Rome 2024.

Iga Swiatek has won 11 WTA 1000 titles.

This is the 2nd most WTA 1000 titles since 2009, only behind Serena Williams.

Unreal.

❤️ pic.twitter.com/EISm8EDFqj
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 19, 2025

The win gives her an 11th WTA 1000 trophy and puts her right back in the mix for the year-end No. 1, something that didn’t seem likely after her stumble at Roland Garros. With the victory, Swiatek jumps back up to world No. 2 and will head into the US Open as the second seed, meaning she won’t have to deal with top-ranked and defending champ Aryna Sabalenka until the final.

A Closer Look at How the Match Played Out for Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek finally got her hands on the Cincinnati Open trophy, beating Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 in Monday’s final. For the world No. 3, it was a breakthrough she had never made it past the semis here, falling to eventual champs Coco Gauff in 2023 and Aryna Sabalenka in 2024.

This time, she wasn’t letting it slip. Swiatek had to dig deep early, clawing back from 0-3 down in the first set before steadying herself to take control. Paolini kept things interesting with a late push, but Swiatek’s serve, firing nine aces, proved to be the difference.

The victory marks Swiatek’s 24th career title, and it couldn’t come at a better time. After a tricky start to the season, she now rolls into the US Open with form, confidence, and a fresh boost of momentum. Paolini, meanwhile, may have fallen short in the final, but her run was historic, becoming the first Italian woman to reach the championship match in Cincinnati.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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