French Open: Scintillating Iga Swiatek glides into final with resounding straight-sets victory over Coco Gauff

Updated 06/06/2024 at 16:47 GMT

Iga Swiatek is into the final of the French Open once again after she comfortably beat Coco Gauff in their semi-final in straight sets. The world No. 1 overcame the American 6-2 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier in one hour and 37 minutes. Swiatek, the three-time Roland-Garros champion, will face either Italy's Jasmine Paolini or teenager Mirra Andreeva in Saturday's showpiece finale.

French Open highlights - Swiatek storms into another final with win over Gauff

Iga Swiatek is into the final of the French Open after she swept past Coco Gauff in straight sets.

The world No. 1 came through the American in one hour and 37 minutes, winning 6-2 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The Pole broke in the opening game of the match and refused to slow down as Gauff, the third seed, continued to make unforced errors with Swiatek targeting her weak forehand wing.

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The top seed survived a Gauff break at 3-1 in the second set to bite right back, before edging her nose in front with another break advantage at 4-3, slamming a forehand away on top of the net.

The third seed's forehand was particularly errant, and she netted one more to tee up Swiatek's first match point at 5-3, but she was brave on her weaker side to save it with a booming winner.

The second match point Swiatek spurned with an angled forehand that just missed the line, and Gauff showed real heart to maintain her foothold in proceedings with a booming backhand to see out the hold.

That left the three-time Roland-Garros champion to serve out the affair, and she did so expertly, reaching her fourth final in Paris with a final Gauff forehand shacked well wide.

Swiatek will next face surprise finalist Jasmine Paolini, who defeated Mirra Andreeva in the second semi-final, in the tournament showpiece on Saturday.

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It was another potential banana skin for the “Queen of Clay”, but it was one that she avoided with exceptional ease.

Her gameplan was clear: target the Gauff forehannd and second serve, and it worked like a charm.

Gauff, a finalist at Roland-Garros in 2022, sought to get on the front foot early and go after Swiatek with her power, but that was her major downfall, overcooking her groundstrokes - particularly on the forehand side - to give Swiatek plenty of free points.

That was certainly the case throughout the first set, with the no. 1 seed breaking immediately in the opening game, before two netted backhands, a blazed forehand long, and a double fault from her opponent teed up a double-break advantage for the Pole.

It was four forehand errors in one game that sealed the first set for Swiatek, and she looked to build on her early momentum, gunning for the Gauff serve straight off the chair.

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The reigning US Open champion held firm to hold, and began to find her groove as both players traded holds before the American finally cracked the world No. 1’s serve; a looping forehand - of all her shots - doing the damage to move her in front.

However, Swiatek did not take her foot off the gas, immediately applying pressure in a bid to break right back, and that pressure told, with a return winner to tee up the opportunity, before Gauff’s forehand let her down once more, bobbling wide off the tape.

Swiatek’s crucial break came at 4-3, crashing a forehand away on top of the net, before she let two match points slip as Gauff served to stay in the tournament.

The American held admirably, but she couldn’t do anything about the Pole’s persistence, as she finally took her fourth match point, with Gauff palming into the net.

Defending champion Swiatek beats Gauff to reach fourth Roland-Garros final

“It was intense,” Swiatek said afterwards.

“In the second set, it was tight because we were breaking each other. But I’m happy that I was consistent with my tactics, didn’t overthink stuff, and just went for it at the end.

“I think [Gauff] is progressing a lot. You can see by her results - last year’s US Open showed that she’s tough. At this age, it’s obvious that she’s going to grow. It’s nice to see her handling everything around her well because it’s not easy.
“I’m sure we’re going to have more really intense matches at the highest level because Coco is also one of the most consistent players out there.

“Something changed [after the Naomi Osaka match]. I adjusted better to the court, and it’s not easy to play first matches in a Grand Slam because the atmosphere is much different in other tournaments.

"Against Naomi, I didn’t have time to get into it. She was intense from the beginning and put pressure on me. I’m happy that I handled it well. The weather changed also; it helped my game and I gained confidence.”