2024 French Open Roland Garros Semi-Final Match Preview: Iga Swiatek set for favoured match-up with 10-1 record against Coco Gauff
WTAThursday, 06 June 2024 at 09:29
The first semi-final has been confirmed on the WTA side of the draw at the French Open and it is a familiar one at that between Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff who will face off for the 12th time albeit priorly it has mainly been misery for the American.
Swiatek has won 11 out of 12 of their meetings including the most recent on clay at the 2024 Rome Open. But she did finally get over her hoodoo last year defeating her at the Cincinnati Open. But this has not meant a great deal in the grand scheme of things when it has come to her record since.
Sublime Swiatek utterly heroic so far
The World No.1 in particular has been utterly heroic this tournament and won 20 games on the bounce between three bagels in a row and only lost a game in the second set of her clash with Marketa Vondrousova. Very much ominous from the three-time champion who will see this as the final stepping stone onto four.
Prior to thumpings of Anastasia Potapova and Marketa Vondrousova, she has faced adversity which might give Gauff some hope. She eased past Marie Bouzkova albeit not as emphatically as her next two which shows as well that she is firmly getting better as the tournament rumbles on.
Prior to that was perhaps her biggest test thus far as she defeated Naomi Osaka in one of the best women's matches in years at the 2024 French Open. So the likelihood is that the chance to beat Swiatek is done especially given that Gauff has a fairly abysmal record against the World Number One. She has been well beaten in 98% of their clashes and only at the Cincinnati Open last year was their any resolve.
Iga Swiatek's only test has come against Naomi Osaka (pictured).
Gauff will believe despite abysmal record
But despite that being the case, Gauff will still believe that it could be her day and why not. She has been superb herself this tournament and showed why she should be considered a threat. She is always there or thereabouts in most tournaments and despite surviving a scare against Ons Jabeur last round showed she has another gear to go.
Losing the opening set in a high octane start from Jabeur, Gauff soon retained her composure and hammered through the wall that was the Tunisian who also counted on a lot of support. Prior to that, she also defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Dayana Yastremska, Tamara Zidansek and Julia Avdeeva respectively all of which she didn't lose a set in so very much a player on form. As Wednesday also proved with Elena Rybakina losing against the odds, anything can happen.
Time for Coco Gauff to rise to the occasion in Paris
What could ultimately help or hinder her too is playing doubles on what is a rest day for Swiatek. She teamed with Katerina Siniakova on Wednesday to reach the Quarter-Finals. So she is keeping at it and staying on the court.
But Swiatek has often proved this season that it means very little when it comes to the grand scheme of the contest. One that she will be very happy to be playing again for a spot in the final. A fourth title likely awaits. Jasmine Paolini faces the winner as of time of writing of Aryna Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva. The latter putting the Belarusian under the cosh. So it could get even better for Swiatek.
But can Gauff offer any resolve? Or will it be merely 12-1 for Swiatek and a footnote on her run towards the title. Thursday holds all the answers. The Queen of Clay has been superb this tournament and doesn't seem to be heading towards being stopped. Gauff likely holds the final keys to stopping her in any way possible. It will take place at around 3pm on Thursday afternoon with the other semi-final following along.
As a result, we will know the women's final on Thursday evening in Paris. If Swiatek doesn't get there, it will be seen as a seismic shock as she sits in pursuit of claiming a fourth title that would make history. Something that Gauff will be chasing after reaching the final prior to no avail. She has won the US Open but has since fell in multiple semi-finals, will she buck the trend.
Results so far - Iga Swiatek
1st Round - (1) Iga Swiatek def. Leolia Jeanjean (6-1, 6-2)
2nd Round - (1) Iga Swiatek def. Naomi Osaka (7-6 (6), 1-6, 7-5)
3rd Round - (1) Iga Swiatek def. Marie Bouzkova (6-4, 6-2)
Fourth Round - (1) Iga Swiatek def. Anastasia Potapova (6-0, 6-0)
Fifth Round - (1) Iga Swiatek def. (5) Marketa Vondrousova (6-0, 6-2)
Results so far - Coco Gauff
1st Round - (3) Coco Gauff def. Julia Avdeeva (6-1, 6-1)
Second Round - (3) Coco Gauff def. Tamara Zidansek (6-3, 6-4)
Third Round - (3) Coco Gauff def. (30) Dayana Yastremska (6-2, 6-4)
Fourth Round - (3) Coco Gauff def. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (6-1, 6-2)
Quarter-Final - (3) Coco Gauff def. (8) Ons Jabeur (4-6, 6-2, 6-3)
Head to Head Results - Iga Swiatek v Coco Gauff
- 2021 Italian Open (Rome) - Semifinal: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 7-6(3), 6-3 (May 15, 2021)
- 2022 Miami Open 4th Round: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-1 (March 28, 2022)
- 2022 French Open (Roland Garros) - Final: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 (June 4, 2022)
- 2022 San Diego Open - Quarter-Final: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-0, 6-3 (October 14, 2022)
- 2022 WTA Finals Fort Worth Round Robin: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-0 (November 5, 2022)
- 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships - Semifinal: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 (February 24, 2023)
- 2023 French Open (Roland Garros) - Quarterfinal: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 (June 7, 2023)
- 2023 Western & Southern Open (Cincinnati) - Semi-Final: Coco Gauff def. Iga Swiatek 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 (August 19, 2023)
- 2023 China Open (Beijing) - Semi-Final: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-3 (October 7, 2023)
- 2023 WTA Finals (Cancun) Group Stage: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-0, 7-5 (November 1, 2023)
- 2024 Rome Open Semi-Final: Iga Swiatek def. Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-3 (May 16, 2024)
- 2024 French Open Semi-Final: ?
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