Caroline Garcia is peaking at the right time. The 28-year-old French player has won more matches than any other player on the WTA tour since June — 27 in total, including a title Sunday in Cincinnati.
The Western & Southern Open title marks her third career WTA 1000 title and her 10th WTA tour title overall.
Already in 2022, the 28-year-old won a grass-court title at the Bad Homburg Open and a clay-court title at the Poland Open, but those were both lower-tier WTA 250 events.
In Ohio, she easily handled Petra Kvitova in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. In doing so, she became the first qualifier to win a title in a WTA 1000 event since the tour’s highest tier was formed in 2009. After the win, Garcia called it “pure joy.”
Game. Set. GARCIA 🇫🇷A SENSATIONAL week for @CaroGarcia as she wins the Cincinnati title 🏆#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/RhWEvYXGHb— wta (@WTA) August 21, 2022
Game. Set. GARCIA 🇫🇷A SENSATIONAL week for @CaroGarcia as she wins the Cincinnati title 🏆#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/RhWEvYXGHb
“Just happiness. Every single win is very important. Every title is very special,” she said. “It’s always very hard to describe it. It’s not happening so often, and you have to really enjoy it. I’m really grateful for this great week of tennis, and to win another title, it’s very special.”
The tour leader in aces this season, Garcia added to that number Sunday with 11 during the final, bringing her total to 286.
While she fell to as low as No. 79 in the world earlier this year, the former world No. 4 has been the hottest ticket on tour since June with her 27 main-draw match wins.
With her 33 total wins this year, she trails just three players: Iga Swiatek (50), Simona Halep (39) and Ons Jabeur (38).