June 07, (THEWILL) – Iga Swiatek remains on track to defend her French Open title as she powered her way into the semi-finals with a convincing 6-4, 6-2 victory over Coco Gauff.
Gauff faced an uphill battle after losing her serve early in the first set, managing to level the score but ultimately faltering as Swiatek dominated. In the second set, Swiatek saved three break points, effectively dampening Gauff’s hopes of a comeback. With a 4-2 lead, Swiatek broke Gauff once again, securing her spot in the semis with a second break. This marked Gauff’s seventh consecutive defeat to Swiatek, who has yet to lose a set against her.
Gauff, although unsuccessful in her attempts to defeat Swiatek, showcased resilience throughout the match. However, her inability to convert breakpoints proved costly, as she only managed to capitalise on one out of five opportunities, while losing her own serve four times. Gauff’s consistent straight-set losses to Swiatek include last year’s French Open final, making her quest for victory even more challenging.
Given the history between these two players, a strong start was crucial for Gauff. Despite a promising start and an immediate break back after losing her serve, Swiatek proved relentless. As the first set reached a critical juncture, Swiatek broke Gauff’s serve to love, ultimately clinching the set. Gauff fought to stay in the match and had several opportunities to break Swiatek early in the second set, but her inability to convert these chances became decisive.
The top-ranked Pole took advantage of her momentum, winning four consecutive games from a 2-2 tie, to seal her place in the next round. In the semi-finals, she will go head-to-head with Beatriz Haddad Maia, who earlier triumphed over Tunisian Ons Jabeur.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
