Iga Swiatek put an end to Coco Gauff and her remarkable 16-match winning streak by securing a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory, earning her a place in the China Open final. Swiatek, ranked second in the world, dominated the U.S. Open champion in the semifinal clash on Saturday. Discover Injured Coco Gauff loses to Iga Swiatek at the China Open.
This victory marked Gauff’s first loss since the quarterfinals in Montreal, during which she clinched titles in Cincinnati and at Flushing Meadows. Swiatek is set to face Liudmila Samsonova, ranked 22nd, in the final after the Russian defeated fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina with a score of 7-6 (7), 6-3.
Swiatek’s incredible performance in the first set saw her make only four unforced errors, putting consistent pressure on Gauff’s serve. She secured a crucial break at 3-1, comfortably winning the set in just 40 minutes.
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In the second set, Swiatek maintained her dominance by breaking Gauff early, taking a 2-0 lead. A medical timeout for Gauff’s right shoulder assessment did not disrupt Swiatek’s rhythm as she continued to control the match, ultimately extending her head-to-head record against Gauff to 8-1.
Swiatek’s Reflection on Performance
Reflecting on her performance, Swiatek expressed her happiness, stating, “I’m really happy with my performance. It feels like I can play freely again, so I’m really happy. It’s been a while since I felt that way. So, I’ll remember for the rest of my career that even though tougher times may come, in your mind, you can always overcome that. And with hard work, you can achieve it.”
Meanwhile, Liudmila Samsonova secured her spot in the final with a straight-sets victory, marking her second WTA 1000 final appearance this year. She remained unbeaten against Rybakina in their four meetings.
Samsonova secured an early break to lead 5-4 in the first set but had to endure a tiebreak before finally clinching the set. In the second set, she made the decisive break at 5-4 and sealed the victory after a 1 hour and 40-minute battle.
