Iga Swiatek
had no trouble defeating
Coco Gauff 6-0, 7-5, securing her spot in the
semifinals of the 2023
WTA Finals Cancun.
The World
No. 2 once again demonstrated her high confidence as she started the year's
final tournament. She had previously defeated Marketa Vondrousova 7-6(3), 6-0
in her debut.
The Polish
player won the final WTA 1000 event of the season at the China Open in early
October, where she also defeated Gauff in the semifinals, extending her winning
streak to eight consecutive matches on the tour. While Gauff showcased
remarkable form in her opening match against Ons Jabeur, winning 6-0, 6-1, she
came into the match with a poor 1-8 record against Swiatek.
The first
set was all about Swiatek, who secured three consecutive breaks and had no
difficulty with her serve as she raced to a 6-0 victory in just 28 minutes. The
recent US Open champion won only 25% of the points on her serve, along with 38%
of the return points, committed 11 unforced errors, and hit only two winners,
while her opponent had six unforced errors and four winners.
The second
set began with another game for Swiatek, but the World No. 3, responded
with a game victory on her serve and raised her level to take a 3-1 lead,
including a break. The sixth game, during Gauff's service, had three break
points and six deuces in total, lasting nearly 12 minutes.
Ultimately,
the 19-year-old American claimed the most contested game of the set. Both
players broke each other's serves, and Gauff led 5-4 with a chance to win the
set on her serve. Astonishingly,
she committed four double faults, gifting the game to her opponent, who did not
even touch the ball.
After that
game, Coco Gauff experienced a noticeable drop in her spirits, making several
unforced errors, and eventually lost the match 6-0, 7-5, winning only one of
the last 13 points played.
Swiatek's
victory guarantees her place in the semifinals, and she joins Jessica Pegula as
the first qualifiers from the round-robin stage, with one match remaining. The
last group matches are scheduled for November 3, featuring Jabeur vs. Swiatek
and Gauff vs. Vondrousova.