WTA Finals: Iga Swiatek brushes past Coco Gauff to close in on semi-finals - 'Happy I could problem solve'
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Updated 02/11/2023 at 09:04 GMT
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek continued her superb record against Coco Gauff by flattening the American in straight sets to edge closer to a place in the last four at the WTA Finals. Swiatek's 6-0 7-5 win puts her on 2-0 in the round-robin section with one match remaining against Ons Jabeur. Gauff faces Marketa Vondrousova in her final group match on Friday.
'The last thing that I expected' - Swiatek delighted with China Open victory
Iga Swiatek put one foot in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Cancun by beating Coco Gauff in straight sets.
The world No. 2 ousted the US Open champion in style with a 6-0 7-5 victory in Mexico, taking her record to 2-0 at the round-robin stage.
Swiatek faces Ons Jabeur on Friday for her final group match, and while she isn’t yet mathematically ensured of a place in the last four, she is in a very strong position.
Gauff holds a 1-1 record and the American will face Marketa Vondrousova (0-2) in her final Chetumal Group match after the Czech suffered a straight-sets defeat to Jabeur (1-1).
“In the second set, obviously, it got tighter,” Swiatek told reporters.
“I was happy I stayed focused. I had plenty of chances in her first service games to break back, but I knew somehow I would use one of those chances.”
She added: “I would say this match wasn’t consistent, in terms of the level. For sure, adjusting to everything that happened was the most important thing. It took me a while because I was a break down in the second set.
“I’m happy that I could actually problem solve a little the way to win these last games. And the key was, maybe being confident and mentally not focusing on the score, but really just sticking with the plan that worked in the first set.”
Swiatek’s win saw her continue a superb record against Gauff, who she has now beaten nine times in 10 meetings.
Each of those victories has come in straight sets and it was a familiar story for the world No. 3 when she dropped an opening-set bagel set in 28 minutes to get off to a disastrous start.
The 19-year-old recovered in the second to make it more of a contest, racing into a 3-1 lead after earning an early break.
Gauff went on to serve for the set, but a nightmare run of four double-faults in a row handed Swiatek the break-back on a plate.
Swiatek seized the initiative from then on, clinching three breaks in a row to swing the set back in her favour and win the match in 79 minutes.
In the Bacalar Group, fifth seed Jessica Pegula became the first player to book a semi-final spot after impressive wins against Elena Rybakina and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who are both on 1-1 and face each other in a decisive match on Thursday.
Eighth seed Maria Sakkari (0-2) is already out ahead of her closing match against Pegula.
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