Where there’s heat, there’s Iga Swiatek! The Pole is on fire this season — literally and figuratively. She’s now into her eighth semifinal of the year. Titles may have slipped away lately, but she’s still riding the momentum from that incredible Wimbledon triumph. Even after Montreal didn’t go her way, she’s blazing through Cincinnati. This week, though, the heat is the other opponent. Temperatures hit 33°C (92°F), but Iga still cruised into the semis.
On Friday, Swiatek defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4 to book her spot in the last four at the Cincinnati Open 2025. She’s now within touching distance of her first WTA 1000 final in 15 months and closer to securing a fifth straight WTA Finals berth. All this while the court baked in sweltering heat. Players have wilted, some withdrawing or taking medical timeouts. Not Iga. She looked unfazed.
Why? Iga Swiatek explained after the match. “There’s no secret, I just drink…but water,” she said, making the crowd laugh. “Honestly, I think we kinda need to get used to it with how the world is changing, you know? It’s going to be worse and worse, I guess. So, yeah.” A light take — but perhaps a warning too.
Iga Swiatek after beating Anna Kalinskaya in Cincinnati
“It’s hot today… How do you stay hydrated and still look so calm on court?”
Iga: “There’s no secret, I just drink water.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 15, 2025
Her opponent wasn’t so lucky. Just three games in, Kalinskaya called for the trainer. After a quick medical timeout, her left calf heavily wrapped, she was broken right away. She fought back, saving two set points and even going love-30 on Swiatek’s serve at 5-3. But Iga Swiatek shut the door. Two clean serves, some sharp backhands, and the opener was hers.
It’s not the first time Iga has faced such brutal heat. Remember that heatwave at Wimbledon’s opening week? London felt like it had been plucked into a furnace. Fans collapsed in the stands, forcing play to halt. Before her match, Iga posted an Instagram story from practice — twisting a sweat drenched cloth and tossing it toward the camera. “@wimbledon what’s with this weather? London, is that you?” she joked in the caption. And yet she powered through, lifting the trophy in the end.
Cincinnati, though, is different. The oppressive heat seems here to stay and is becoming a real concern. Brad Gilbert, former coach of Coco Gauff, has already blasted the ATP for not allowing the 10-minute changeover rule the WTA uses.
Swiatek may have joked about the climate “getting worse and worse,” but she might be right, and the tour may soon have to take her words seriously.
Cincinnati Open may face climate tourble in the coming years
Storms might just crash the Cincinnati Open — and not in the fun, crowd-roaring way. According to Tennis Connected on X, and a new study by AskGamblers, climate change could hit this tournament harder than any other in the U.S. The Lindner Family Tennis Center, the event’s beloved long-time home, tops the danger list for future extreme weather.
And the forecast? It’s brutal. By 2026, almost half of all matches could be lost to climate-related chaos. By 2033, a staggering 50.31% — the worst numbers for any American tennis venue. And by the end of the century? Try wrapping your head around 63% of matches wiped out. For a Masters 1000, that’s not just bad news. That’s an existential crisis.
This year’s warning signs have been loud and clear. Early in the week, fans saw a scary moment when Arthur Rinderknech collapsed beside a shaded section during his round-of-32 clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime. It led to him retiring from the match. And he wasn’t the only player. Francisco Comesana, Jakub Mensik, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina have all retired from their matches in the sweltering heat.
If that doesn’t sound a sporting alarm, what will? Climate change isn’t just an environmental problem anymore. It’s now a sporting one with the power to rewrite not only tournaments, but player calendars, and even the fan experience. The question isn’t if tennis will adapt. It’s how fast it can.
For now, though, the show goes on. Iga Swiatek is into the semifinals and will face ninth seed Elena Rybakina next. Will she overcome the Kazakh for the sixth time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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