Iga Swiatek defeats Coco Gauff to reach third straight French Open final

Defending champion Iga Swiatek made a significant stride toward her third consecutive French Open title by defeating American third seed Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4 in the semi-final on Thursday. This win equaled Swiatek’s longest winning streak on clay.

Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam champion, secured her 11th victory in 12 encounters against Gauff and will compete in the final on Saturday against either 12th seed Jasmine Paolini or 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.

“It was intense. In the second set, it was right because we were breaking each other. I was consistent with my tactics and went for it,” Swiatek said.

Gauff, who had previously lost to Swiatek in the 2022 final and last year’s quarter-finals, will rise to number two in the world rankings despite the loss. Swiatek praised Gauff’s progress, noting her resilience and growth, particularly highlighted by her performance at the U.S. Open.

Swiatek took control early, breaking Gauff in the first game after a forehand error. Despite facing break points in her next two service games, Swiatek maintained her composure. Gauff, who had a brief emotional moment in the second set after disputing a line call, managed to break Swiatek for the first time but Swiatek quickly regained the advantage.

Swiatek’s powerful play led her to a 4-3 lead in the second set, and she clinched the match with a strong serve, achieving her 20th consecutive victory at Roland Garros. This win also matched her previous 18-match winning streak on clay from Stuttgart to Warsaw in 2022.

Reflecting on her performance, Swiatek mentioned adapting better to the court conditions and gaining confidence as the tournament progressed, especially after overcoming a challenging match against former world number one Naomi Osaka in the second round.

Swiatek remains the favorite to win the final, with her consistent performance and tactical prowess making her a formidable opponent.