MADRID — Coco Gauff triumphed over Iga Swiatek in a stunning match, winning 6-1, 6-1 to secure her place in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open. This victory marked Gauff’s first win against Swiatek on clay and continued her streak of three consecutive wins against the Polish player, who previously led their head-to-head record 11-1.
The match concluded in just 64 minutes, showcasing a remarkable performance from the 21-year-old American. Gauff was nearly perfect, winning 12 of the last 13 games after Swiatek claimed the opening game.
Gauff only lost two points on her first serve, recorded six aces, and won 57 out of 83 points without facing any break points. She concluded the match with 18 winners compared to Swiatek’s seven, who unfortunately committed 21 unforced errors.
“She may not have been at her best, but I think I made her uncomfortable,” Gauff stated in the post-match comments. “She’s incredibly talented and can make you move all around the court, but I aimed to avoid that today.”
Regarding the match’s turning point, Gauff emphasized, “My mindset throughout was crucial. I played aggressively and maintained my level, even raising it in the second set.” The last time Swiatek won fewer than three games in a match was against Jelena Ostapenko in Birmingham, where she lost 6-0, 6-2.
Swiatek, a four-time Roland Garros champion, has been dominant on clay, with only Steffi Graf showing a higher win rate against Top 10 opponents in the last 35 years. Reflecting on her performance, Swiatek admitted, “Honestly, there’s not much to analyze; I struggled with my level the entire match. Coco played well, but I didn’t move properly or respond effectively to her shots.”
After a shaky start in previous matches, where she struggled to find her rhythm, Swiatek held serve at the beginning of this match but went on to lose six consecutive games. Gauff capitalized on Swiatek’s errors, breaking serve multiple times and maintaining her dominant lead. Despite Swiatek’s efforts, she could not regain her competitive edge as Gauff closed out the match emphatically.
