French Open 2024 semi-final result: World number one and reigning champion Iga Swiatek defeats No.3 seed Coco Gauff on Court Philippe-Chatrier

The Queen of Clay, Iga Swiatek, is now one win away from a third straight French Open title – and her fourth overall – following a straight sets victory over No.3 seed Coco Gauff.

The Polish World No.1 was the more solid player throughout and took care of business in just one hour and 37 minutes as she served out on her FOURTH match point and extended her winning streak at Roland-Garros to 20 matches with a 34-2 record overall.

Iga also continued her dominance in the H2H with Coco who now trails the Pole 11-1 in their match-up with the US Open champion’s rise to No.2 in the rankings next week offering her little solace right now.

All aboard the Coco Gauff rollercoaster!

The American stares into the abyss as 40-15 evaporates and she’s faced by match point from deuce.

A blistering forehand saves it before a clutch serve down the T puts her on the cusp of the hold.

Iga nails a backhand down the line but Coco pings a crosscourt winner off the same wing to keep her nose in front.

It's thrilling stuff under intense pressure but another loose forehand reverts them to deuce again.

A sharp Swiatek returns tees up a second MP… but she can't find the line with a crosscourt forehand!

Coco's resilience is magnificent and she grinds out a dogged hold with a mid-range crosscourt backhand.

Coco Gauff was left very upset by a decision from the umpire, Aurelie Tourte, to overrule a serve from Iga Swiatek that was initially called out.

Gauff attempts to crank up the temperature with a stunning overhead down the line.

Swiatek produces outstanding defence to await the net rush and rifles away a wonderful forehand pass that’s too hot to claw back.

It’s all about Gauff’s vulnerabilities after that as a couple of tame forehands droop into the net under little pressure while a race to the net sees an awkward backhand volley fly way long.

The World No.1 makes her move!

Coco’s propensity to have a wobble really haunts her here as another double fault and a wild forehand offer up triple break point.

The Pole seizes the moment as she dictates off a second serve, thumping that heavy topsin forehand to the corners and eventually breaking to love with a crushing smash.

There’s a lot of focus and spotlight on what Gauff is and isn’t doing but it’s worth highlighting that Iga is efficiently going about her business.

The Pole hasn’t found her A-game but hasn’t really needed it so far.

A delicious forehand winner up the line and a couple of smart body serves do the damage as she consolidates the break back to 30 to tie the set.

'They are booing because you are wrong,' laments Gauff as she pleads her case to no avail.

Gauff guesses right on a drive volley following a lovely exchange at the net but flashes a backhand just long and she’s suddenly up against it at 0-30.

A sizzling crosscourt backhand helps her to 30-30 and the call on Eurosport Comms is ‘here comes Coco!’ but Iga has other ideas.

The three-time champion crunches a return winner and then wrestles the return back when Gauff’s clunky forehand clips the tape and flies wide.

Match on?

There’s a moment of drama and contention as Gauff argues with the umpire over a call during her swing.

It leaves the American wiping away tears but it seems to unsettle Iga more as the Pole leaks surprising errors off both wings to cough up break point.

A crisp forehand drive volley swats it away but the top seed shifts from game point to break point again from deuce with two backhands down the line just long.

For once, Gauff takes advantage as she unloads a backhand down the line to switch up a tense rally before painting the baseline of the opposite flank with a careful forehand to secure the breakthrough.

Can Coco play her way into form and reignite her flagging belief?

If it’s going to happen, this will surely help as she hammers down a second ace at 30-30 before another powerhouse delivery tees up a plus-one forehand down the line that has Iga rooted to the spot.

‘On paper this is the final,’ says Evert on Eurosport Comms.

She’s referring to the huge upsets in the other side of the draw that means whoever wins here will be a heavy favourite to see off either Jasmine Paolini or Mirra Andreeva.

It’s not feeling like a final right now though with Gauff making life easy with some avoidable misses.

A tame dropshot barely makes the net and ends a routine hold to 15 for Iga with Gauff now up to 24 unforced errors in comparison to the Pole’s seven.

When you are playing Miss Consistency and someone who is an artist on clay, you can not afford such a mixed performance.

Gauff goes through the motions again here, nailing a pair of aces but also throwing down two double faults to allow Iga to deuce.

The Chatrier crowd can sense her inner turmoil and try to get behind the American and a brave second serve is followed by a forehand gift into the net from Swiatek to allow Coco off the hook and to vent some pressure.

It needs to be in relation to comebacks and a never-say-die spirit!

The Gauff forehand fails her again and Swiatek confidently wraps up a 33-minute opening set by serving out to 15.

Coco has been here so many times before against Iga.

Is it going to be same old story or can she find something from somewhere to rip up this script and mount a comeback of all comebacks against the Clay Queen?

Coco has just sent the memo out to the Chatrier crowd – ‘no baked goods today, thank you.’

The American finally sees all of her game click into gear and she strides to the net to take out some of her frustration on an emphatic smash that seals a dominant game to 15.

Swiatek will now serve for the set.

The scoreline may not reflect some of the tough moments Swiatek has faced today, but that is the reality.

The World No.1 has delivered in the big moments and she is so often an exceptional frontrunner.

The three-time champion has had some tricky service games so far, but this isn’t one of them as she cruises through a love hold to back up the double break.

On Eurosport Comms the legendary Chris Evert – a seven-time Roland Garros champion – discusses the quality of Gauff’s backhand and how it’s the best backhand in the women’s game.

She also laments the weakness that is the forehand and how Swiatek’s gameplan involves targeting it’s frailty.

We’ve already seen plenty of examples today and the forehand lets her down badly here while an ill-timed double fault opens the door for Iga to surge into a double-break lead.

We could be in for a treat this afternoon if the first 20 minutes are anything to go by.

It’s another thrilling game as Coco’s offensive approach unsettles the top seed and she’s faced by another break point.

Gauff fluffs her lines with the forehand letting her down with a strike way long of the baseline.

The American hangs around at deuce, dragging a wonderful exchange her way by breaking through Iga’s defence at the net.

A sumptuous crosscourt lob keeps Swiatek frustrated at another deuce but Gauff’s wild forehand return paves the way for Swiatek to wriggle free and maintain her advantage.