(Mason) In the first seven duels, Coco Gauff had not won any rounds against the world’s number one racquet, Iga Swiatek. On Saturday, the 19-year-old American defeated Swiatek 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 to reach the tournament final in Cincinnati.
Swiatek, winner of three of the last six major tournaments, saved three match points, before finally seeing Gauff prevail in front of her supporters.
“It feels really good,” Gauff said. It shows that I can be at this level, or at least fight at this level. I’m sure I’ll face him many more times. I still don’t think I’m at the peak of my potential. »
Seeded seventh in the tournament, Gauff had never won more than four games in a set against Swiatek before Saturday’s match, as she won the first set in a tiebreaker. The first clash between the two players dates back to the Rome tournament in 2021.
“I fought until the end,” Swiatek said. Coco is a great player. This match, she deserved it more. My energy is dry and I’m happy to have a few days off. »
Gauff is the fourth player under 20 to reach the final in Cincinnati since the start of the modern tennis era, and the first since Vera Zvonareva in 2004. The last to win the title was Linda Tuero in 1968, then 17 years old.
In Sunday’s final, Gauff will face Karolina Muchová, who for her part eliminated world number two player Aryna Sabalenka in three sets of 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2.
Both players had three aces in the match. Sabalenka, however, double-faulted her opponent four times more, with 10. Muchová won 76% of the points with her first serve in play.
In the loss, Sabalenka won 68% of his points on second serves, 20% more than Muchová.
Despite the score in the last two sets, the two players fought a close battle, as Muchová won only 11 points more in total in the match.
