Iga Swiatek has pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles mini-tournament this week in order to rest for the actual tennis, with the Cincinnati semi-finalist citing the need to rest.

The exhibition-style mixed, which has drawn serious criticism from actual doubles players, is limited to “celebrity” singles players, leaving only the chance for the top two doubles players on the men’s and women’s sides to try and qualify in a Monday shootout.

Swiatek has had a busy hardcourt month, winning in Canada before reaching the Cincy final four where she lost to Jessica Pegula.

She and Casper Ruud reached the mixed final in New York a year ago, which comprises only 16 teams, uses abbreviated scoring to speed things along and lasts a scant two days.

“Looking back at a physically demanding few weeks on court and after speaking to my team,,” the work No. 5 Pole said in a statement.

 “I’ve decided it’s best for me to pass on mixed doubles at the US Open this year. Right now, I need a few days to rest, recharge and fully focus on preparing for the singles tournament.” 

Swiatek joined Daniil Medvedev in giving the hit-and-giggle sessions a miss prior to the start of the final major of the season and is playing the tuneup 250 event in North Carolina.

Arthur Fils claimed the first Masters title of his career on Sunday with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-0 defeat of Frances Tiafoe to win the Cincinnati trophy, sealing it on his third match point..

The 22-year-old is the first Frenchman to lift the prestigious title since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Toronto a dozen years ago.

Fils swept the opening set but was overpowered by Tiafoe in the second before coming back strong in the third set.

Fils set up the third match winner with a lob and benefitted as his opponent sent a return long over the baseline to win in 98 minutes.

Fis blazed through the opening games, breaking Tiafoe for 2-0 and winning the first seven points of the final.

His momentum barely slowed as he established a 5-2 lead and finished off the opening set in 29 minutes with his eighth ace.

Fils suffered his first setback in the second set,saving three break points in the second game but firing a forehand long on a fourth as Tiafoe took a 2-0 lead.

The American grabbed all of his chances as he ran to a 6-1 win to level at a set apiece as skies darkened overhead after just 54 minutes on court.

Tiafoe took the opportunity to call for the trainer for a massage on the right hip which has bothered him in recent weeks.

Fils regrouped to star the third set, breaking Tiafoe for 2-0 and again for 4-0 as his intensity kept rising with the finishing line in sight.

“I started the first set very very strong,” Fills said.

“In the second set I lost a bit of focus, he put me under pressure.

“But I had a small talk with myself in front of the mirror after the second set. I said ‘if you are going to lose, it cannot get worse than this. You need to fight.

“I don’t have any words to describe this win. There is a bit of relief. It was a hell of a week.”

“The result marked the second time that Tiafoe has lost in a final here after going out to Jannik Sinner in 2024.

Main photo:- Arthur ‘Fils celebrates victory in Cincy – by ATPTour.com

Iga Swiatek lost her bid to repeat at ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters champion on Saturday as she took a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 loss to rival Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals.

The match started slightly late due to rain and was interrupted briefly after two gamas had been played.

But after the situation subsided, the remainder was played in dry, sunny conditions.

Pegula’s win took almost three hours as she and Swiatek rode a roller-coaster of breaks and re-breaks before the 31-year-old American took a 5-4 lead in the final set after Swiatek saved three break points but double-faulted on a fourth.

Pegula quickly closed it out a game later with a service winner to advance to the Sunday final at the US open tune-up against  former champion Coco Gauff.

Swiatek will drop to number eight in the world after failing to defend her 2025 victory here.

The first five games of the epic went against the server as the top 10 pair struggled to get used to conditions and a rain interruption after the second game.

Swiatek blinked first, with third seed Pegula holding to love for a 4-2 lead, with Pegula following suit as she held for the first time in the match, 3-4.

But a break by the Pole got the match back to level-pegging at four game each, with Swiatek grabbing her first lead of the afternoon with a hold for 5-4.

The Pole was broken to trail 5-6 as Pegula moved into a winning position, with the American claiming the set 7-5 after 66 minutes.

Swiatek began her recovery effort in the second set with a hold, matched by Pegula after saving two  break points.

The pair traded breaks in the sixth and seventh games before Swiatek grabbed a lifeline and broke in the final game of the set to square the match after two hours and bring on a decider.

Main photo:- Jessica Pegula into the Cincy final – WTATennis.com