Caroline Garcia etched her name in the record books with a commanding performance at the Western and Southern Open. In a straight-sets victory (6-2, 6-4) over Petra Kvitova, the French star became the first qualifier in history to lift a WTA 1000 trophy. This win earns her the third Masters title of her career, returning her to the winner's circle for the first time since her success in Wuhan and Beijing about five years back. This result also ensures the world no. 35 will climb back into the top 20 rankings, a milestone she hasn't reached since 2017. Notably, no other qualifier had achieved a WTA 1000 win since the tournament tier's inception in 2009.
Caroline Garcia scripted history by claiming a dominating victory at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. Caroline Garcia of France became the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 title with her straight sets 6-2, 6-4 win over Czech’s Petra Kvitova. Garcia’s comprehensive win helped her to claim the third Masters Trophy of her career after back-to-back successes in Wuhan and Beijing almost five years ago. The world no.35 player is now set to return to the top 20 rankings for the first time since 2017. No qualifier had won a WTA 1000 title since the tier was created in 2009.
The 28-year-old Frenchwoman's path to the title was grueling; after navigating the qualifying draws, she managed to outplay three of the world's top 10 players—Aryna Sabalenka, Maria Sakkari, and Jessica Pegula. This momentum carried her into the final, where she delivered a flawless performance to overcome two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Playing to her strengths and utilizing her most potent weapons, Garcia closed out the match in 1 hour and 42 minutes to claim her third trophy of the season. Her precision was on full display as she served 11 aces and successfully defended all eight break points. In contrast, Kvitova, now 32, struggled significantly with her serve throughout the encounter.
Garcia's impressive run of 33 wins this year puts her just behind Iga Swiatek (50), Simona Halep (39), and Ons Jabeur (38). Since returning from a foot injury, Garcia has proven her versatility by winning titles on three different surfaces: hardcourt in Cincinnati, grass in Bad Homburg, and clay in Warsaw, where she notably defeated the world number one, Iga Swiatek.
On the men's side, Croatia's Borna Coric captured his first-ever Masters 1000 title by defeating the fourth seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas, with a score of 7-6 (7-0), 6-2. Ranked 152nd in the world, Coric has now become the lowest-ranked player to ever win a Masters 1000 event, surpassing the record previously held by Spain's Roberto Carretero (world no. 143), who won in Hamburg back in 1996.
The 25-year-old Croatian was nearly unstoppable during the tournament, dropping only a single set on his way to the final. This victory is particularly emotional as Coric had been sidelined for an entire year due to a shoulder injury, only returning to competition in March. His road to the trophy included a semi-final win over Britain's Cameron Norrie and impressive upsets against Felix Auger-Aliassime and the top-seeded Rafael Nadal.
Coric demonstrated immense mental toughness, fighting back from a 1-4 deficit in the first set. He maintained a superior level of focus and determination throughout the match, culminating in a gritty second-set performance to seal the win in 1 hour and 57 minutes. Thanks to this triumph, Coric has secured a seeded position for the upcoming US Open.