For one set, Maria Sakkari looked capable of stopping Iga Świątek’s winning run.
Then the match changed completely.
Świątek recovered from losing the opening set to defeat Sakkari 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 in the third round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open on Monday, August 17, extending her winning streak to eight matches and keeping her title defence alive.
The match lasted 1 hour and 58 minutes, but the final two sets told a very different story from the first.
After Sakkari took the opener, Świątek won 12 of the final 14 games to turn what looked like a potentially difficult afternoon into a commanding comeback victory.
Quick Answer
Iga Świątek defeated Maria Sakkari 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 in the third round of the 2026 Cincinnati Open.
Sakkari won the opening set without facing a break point, but Świątek dramatically shifted the momentum in the second set and dominated the remainder of the match.
The victory sends the No. 7 seed into the fourth round, where she will face the winner of the match between Diane Parry and Lois Boisson.
Sakkari Gives Świątek a Real Problem in the First Set
The scoreline at the end makes Świątek’s victory look comfortable.
It did not begin that way.
Sakkari produced an impressive serving performance in the opening set, firing five aces and not allowing Świątek a single break-point opportunity.
That was particularly notable because, according to the WTA, it was the first set this season in which Świątek failed to create a break point.
Sakkari took advantage.
Świątek committed 17 unforced errors in the opening set, compared with 13 from Sakkari, and the Greek player was able to close out the set 6–4.
Suddenly, the defending Cincinnati champion was one set away from elimination.
Then the Match Flipped
The beginning of the second set did not immediately suggest a comeback was coming.
Świątek opened it with two double faults.
But she survived the game.
That hold turned out to be important.
Once Świątek settled, the pressure began moving in the opposite direction. She started taking time away from Sakkari and prevented her opponent from dictating points as effectively as she had during the opening set.
Świątek moved ahead 3–0 and saved two break points along the way.
Sakkari would not earn another break-point opportunity for the rest of the match.
Świątek took the second set 6–1.
And she was only getting started.
From 4–6 to Complete Control
There are tennis matches where momentum changes gradually.
This was not one of them.
Once Świątek took control, Sakkari struggled to find a way back.
Across the second and third sets, Sakkari committed 26 unforced errors while producing only one winner, according to the WTA’s match analysis.
Świątek, meanwhile, recorded 13 winners across those two sets.
The third set followed almost exactly the same pattern as the second.
Świątek kept applying pressure, Sakkari’s errors increased, and the scoreboard moved quickly.
Another 6–1 set completed the comeback.
The transformation was striking:
Sakkari won the first set 6–4.
Świątek then won 12 of the next 14 games.
Final score: 4–6, 6–1, 6–1.
Świątek Extends Her Winning Streak to Eight
The Cincinnati victory is part of a larger resurgence for Świątek during the North American hard-court swing.
She arrived in Cincinnati immediately after winning the 2026 Canadian Open in Toronto, where she defeated Elena Rybakina 6–2, 6–3 in the final.
That Toronto victory ended an 11-month title drought.
Świątek then opened her Cincinnati title defence with a 6–3, 6–0 victory over Emiliana Arango before facing Sakkari.
The comeback against Sakkari therefore extended her current winning streak to eight consecutive matches.
That matters with the US Open approaching.
A player who entered the summer looking for momentum is now building it quickly.
Another Chapter in the Świątek-Sakkari Rivalry
Sakkari has caused Świątek problems before.
The two have now met 10 times, with Świątek improving her overall head-to-head record against Sakkari to 6–4.
More importantly, the balance of their rivalry has changed significantly over time.
Świątek is now 6–1 against Sakkari since the beginning of 2022.
The exception came earlier this season in Doha, where Sakkari defeated Świątek in three sets in the quarterfinals.
That result gave Monday's meeting an additional layer of intrigue.
For one set in Cincinnati, another Sakkari upset looked possible.
Świątek made sure it did not happen.
What Świątek Changed
Świątek acknowledged after the match that Sakkari had been able to play faster and deeper during the opening set.
Her response was to become more aggressive herself.
Instead of allowing Sakkari opportunities to control rallies, Świątek began pushing her opponent back and forcing her to play under greater pressure.
The statistical shift was dramatic.
After failing to create a single break point in the first set, Świątek increasingly controlled Sakkari's service games in the final two sets.
At the same time, her own serve became much harder to threaten.
After saving two break points while building a 3–0 lead in the second set, Świątek did not face another break point.
That combination turned the match.
What Comes Next for Iga Świątek?
Świątek advances to the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open.
Her next opponent will be the winner of the all-French meeting between Diane Parry and wild card Lois Boisson.
Cincinnati is one of the biggest tournaments remaining before the US Open and is a WTA 1000 event played on hard courts in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Świątek is also defending the title she won here in 2025.
That gives her current run added significance.
She is no longer simply trying to rediscover form.
She is trying to carry a championship-winning stretch directly into one of the most important parts of the tennis calendar.
TwikUp Insight
The most interesting part of Świątek’s victory was not the final score.
It was how quickly the match changed.
For an entire set, Sakkari prevented one of the world's best returners from earning even a single break point.
A little later, Świątek was running away with the match.
Winning 12 of the final 14 games is the kind of turnaround that shows why momentum in tennis can be so deceptive. A player can appear in control, lose a handful of critical rallies and suddenly find herself playing an entirely different match.
For Świątek, there is also a bigger story developing.
She has just won the Canadian Open, is now riding an eight-match winning streak and has survived a match in Cincinnati where her opponent genuinely challenged her.
With the US Open getting closer, Świątek may be finding her strongest hard-court form at exactly the right time.