Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Cincinnati match.
Kalinskaya has already beaten Swiatek before, proving she can trouble the Polish star on a fast court. But does she have enough left in the tank for another upset after a tough run through the draw?
Iga Swiatek
Swiatek has reached this stage in Cincinnati for the third year running, though the trophy has so far eluded her. In 2025 she boasts a strong hard-court win rate (78%), even if Iga hasn’t lifted a title on the surface. Her path to the quarter-finals this week was as smooth as it gets — a win over Anastasia Potapova, a walkover from Marta Kostyuk, and a controlled victory against Sorana Cirstea (6:4, 6:3). Swiatek comes in fresh, with a solid serve and the ability to switch quickly into attack, making her a favourite against anyone on hard courts.
Anna Kalinskaya
Kalinskaya is enjoying one of the best spells of her career — a final in Washington followed by a run to the last eight here. In the space of a week she has beaten Amanda Anisimova (No.8 WTA) and Ekaterina Alexandrova (No.16), clawing back both matches from losing positions. Her career hard-court record sits at 66% (176-91), and against top-10 opponents Anna has 13 wins from 23 matches. Last year, she beat Swiatek at the Dubai 1000 (6:4, 6:4).
Iga Swiatek vs Anna Kalinskaya Prediction
Swiatek should come through, but in this form Kalinskaya can make the handicap count. This will be the Pole’s first truly testing match of the tournament, while the Russian is already battle-hardened and mentally ready for a fight.
