The Cincinnati Open has begun amid strong reactions to recent triumphs. Iga Swiatek’s emotional Canadian Open victory, her first title of 2026, has drawn support from fans, while Ben Shelton’s defense of his Montreal crown placed him in the Open Era record books.
Swiatek’s win over Elena Rybakina in Toronto was more than a trophy. After months of what she described as "unfair judgment and hate," and a dip in her ranking to No. 8, her 26th career title, a WTA 1000, offered a release.
"I’m really happy about this tournament. It means so, so much to me because all these past months were not easy," Swiatek said during her champion speech. "I’m really happy that I kept focusing on growing, changing my game a little bit, improving, despite all the opinions that many people have about me every day on the internet, live."
Fans have defended Swiatek against online criticism and celebrated her resilience.
Shelton’s Historic Defense
Ben Shelton successfully defended his Montreal title by defeating Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 7-6 (4). The feat makes him only the seventh man in the Open Era to achieve a Canadian Open title defense, alongside Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal.
He is also now the third man born in the 2000s to clinch multiple Masters 1000 titles, joining Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Shelton won 100 percent of his service games in the final and faced no break points. His 6-0 head-to-head record against Nakashima and 12-match winning streak in Canada underline his command of the matchup and the event.
The victory was his second Masters 1000 title, his seventh career trophy, and his fourth of 2026, making him 4-0 in finals this season.
Cincinnati Kicks Off with High Stakes
Day two at the Cincinnati Open sees Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, back in action on home soil to headline the WTA side.
She is set to face Arango, with the winner moving on to play defending champion Swiatek. A potential matchup with Swiatek has added intrigue to the tournament.
On the ATP side, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Marin Cilic, and Grigor Dimitrov are all kicking off their campaigns. Novak Djokovic, who recently stated his body felt its "best… after any Grand Slam in the last two years," is also preparing for his return to Cincinnati.
