Iga Swiatek gets her hard-court summer underway this week, with the world No 1 the top seed in the Cincinnati Open women’s singles draw.
The Pole has certainly set her fair share of records and met countless milestones in recent years – and another is possible over the next few days.
Swiatek is looking to become just the third woman to win the prestigious event while ranked as the world No 1.
Williams and Barty’s achievement
In the two decades since the tournament returned to the WTA circuit as a permanent fixture, Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty are the only women to lift the title as the world No 1.
Williams did this twice, claiming her first Cincinnati title in 2014, and then successfully retaining it in 2016.
A decade ago, she defeated former No 1 Ana Ivanovic to claim the title, while the following year she defeated future No 1 Simona Halep to make it back-to-back triumphs at the WTA 1000 event.
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Barty’s victory came much more recently, with the Australian winning her first and only Cincinnati title in her final appearance at the event in 2021.
The three-time major winner defeated the likes of Barbora Krejcikova and former No 1 Angelique Kerber to reach the final, where she breezed past Jill Teichmann in straight sets.
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Near-misses
Williams and Barty may be the only two women to lift the trophy as the reigning world No 1, though other players have come close in recent times.
Karolina Pliskova was the world No 1 and defending champion in 2017, though was beaten in the last four by eventual winner Garbine Muguruza – who replaced the Czech at the top of the rankings a few weeks later.
World No 1 Halep held a championship point in the 2018 final, though was defeated in three sets by Kiki Bertens, while in 2009 Dinara Safina lost in the final to Jelena Jankovic.
Williams was close to winning the title as the No 1 for the first time in 2013 but was beaten by Victoria Azarenka in a three-set epic, and then had to withdraw from her title defence in 2016.
Swiatek’s chance?
A lot of eyes will be on Swiatek when she plays this week, in the first tournament since her Olympic Games campaign ended dramatically.
Cincinnati has not been a successful tournament for the Pole in the past, with just one semi-final showing in her record.
That was a year ago when she suffered her first, and so far only, defeat to eventual winner Coco Gauff in the last four; before that, she had only reached round three once.
Swiatek’s draw is not the easiest – but she is definitely in with a chance of setting another milestone.