"Coco Gauff is not easy" - Iga Swiatek wary of American challenge in French Open SF despite huge gap in head-to-head record
Iga Swiatek laid bare her preparations for the semifinal clash at the French Open 2024. The 23-year-old will face Coco Gauff in the semifinals of the clay-court Slam.
Swiatek is certainly on a rampage in the ongoing French Open. The Pole continued her dominance over the reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals. She took the first set in commanding fashion, and for a moment, it seemed like she might replicate her stunning double-bagel victory over Anastasia Potapova in the fourth round.
However, Vondrousova managed to win two games in the second set. Ultimately, Swiatek triumphed 6-0, 6-2, securing her spot in the French Open semifinals for the third consecutive year.
After the triumph, Swiatek was asked about her preparations for the upcoming semifinal clash against Coco Gauff in a post-match interview. The World No. 1 appeared unfazed, showing no signs of pressure ahead of such a high-profile match, yet she considered Gauff as a tough opponent.
Swiatek emphasized maintaining her usual routines, avoiding extra pressure by treating it as just another match. She was quoted as saying:
"Honestly as the same as before any other match. You don't want to change your routines, you know, it's good to just keep going and not think about this match as something huge but just another match."
Swiatek acknowledged that Gauff is a tough opponent, especially on the Parisian clay. She aims to focus on her own game rather than taking a boatload of pressure.
"Not to put too much baggage on your shoulders, but I guess Coco is not easy. So she really likes playing on clay and especially here, I think so. I'll just focus on myself and I'll prepare tactically and we'll see," she added.
Iga Swiatek is way ahead in the H2H tally against Coco Gauff
Iga Swiatek has completely dominated Coco Gauff in the head-to-head record, winning 10 out of their 11 encounters and maintaining a 90.9% win rate. Gauff will be eager for revenge after her recent semifinal loss to Swiatek, which came at the Italian Open. Moreover, most of their clashes have taken place in the semifinals of various WTA tournaments.
Iga Swiatek has enjoyed a stellar clay court season, entering Roland Garros after consecutive WTA 1000 victories in Madrid and Rome. Her toughest challenge at the French Open came in the second round against Naomi Osaka, but she has otherwise dominated, notably against Anastasia Potapova and Marketa Vondrousova. She is aiming for a three-peat at Roland Garros.
In contrast, Gauff's sole victory this season was at the ASB Classic. Her best came at events like the Australian Open, the Indian Wells Masters, and the Italian Open where she reached the semifinals. Notably, she displayed resilience in her French Open quarterfinals against Ons Jabeur, clinching victory after being a set down 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The 20-year-old is looking to capture her second Major at Roland Garros.