Coco Gauff very honest Iga Swiatek admission after | Sports News

Coco Gauff asserted her dominance on clay forward of the French Open with a 6-1, 6-1 Madrid Open semifinal win over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, admitting that her rival wasn’t on the races. The 21-year-old is eyeing a 2025 comeback after dropping to the No. 2 U.S. spot behind Jessica Pegula and falling to No. 4 within the WTA rankings.

Gauff has struggled along with her serve and forehand since her 2023 U.S. Open win. Still, these points had been absent on Thursday as she breezed previous five-time Slam winner Swiatek, dropping simply two video games to dump the defending Madrid Open champion out of the competitors and make her first Final on the match. It was Gauff‘s first win over Swiatek on clay, having misplaced to the Pole within the 2022 Roland-Garros Final.

Before Thursday’s assembly in Madrid, Swiatek held a 5-0 benefit over Gauff on clay. Gauff conceded that Swiatek, 23, was not taking part in her best during their fast matchup. “I think just the mentality that I had the whole match,” Gauff mentioned on-court after her win.

“I think I was aggressive and played with margin, and, you know, maybe it wasn’t her best level today, but I think I kind of forced her into some of her positions, and yeah, I’m really happy with how I played today.”

However, Gauff has admitted that she remained cautious of Swiatek’s means to stage comebacks. In Swiatek’s quarterfinal matchup with Gauff’s compatriot, Madison Keys, the Pole misplaced the opening set 6-0 earlier than happening to win the following two.

“Super important, especially when you’re playing someone like Iga. You know, at any moment, she can come back and play great tennis,” Gauff mentioned, describing how sturdy her focus needed to be to beat Swiatek. “So, for me, it was just making sure my level stayed the same.

“Actually, in attempting to raise it, I knew in that second set I needed to raise it, particularly as a result of, you realize, she will be able to come back. So yeah, I’m actually pleased with how I performed.”

Gauff has long been eyeing revenge on Swiatek following her 2022 French Open Final loss. The American declared that she has “unfinished business” on the clay courts of Roland-Garros. “I feel for me, properly, as a result of my head-to-head along with her was more so nearly beating her, period,” she told the French Open’s official website earlier this year.

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“But yeah, I have not actually gotten to consider that. I do suppose I’m a good participant on clay. And I do know that if I wish to win that match, I’ve to most likely beat her, most probably.”

“I feel it is more so simply coaching to be the best model of myself. And I feel that that is the way in which I’ve been coaching,” Gauff said. “And with my outcomes towards her up to now, it has not turned out my manner.

“She’s an unbelievable talent, on any surface, but especially on clay. So that would be a goal to win this tournament, just because I did make the final. So, I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business there. And yeah, she’s definitely the number one person to beat when it comes to playing at Roland-Garros.”

Gauff will play Aryna Sabalenka or Elina Svitolina within the Madrid Open Final. The second Slam of the 12 months, Roland-Garros, will begin later this month on May 25 and can run to June 8.