"Coco Gauff is going to just grow" - Iga Swiatek showers high praise on American after beating her in French Open SF
Iga Swiatek has reached the final of the 2024 French Open. Following her emphatic victory in the semifinals, she praised Coco Gauff and expressed hope for intense future matches between them.
Iga Swiatek is on the hunt for her third consecutive French Open title. She convincingly defeated third-seeded Gauff 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinals of the 2024 Roland Garros. The match not only highlighted her dominance but also marked her 20th straight win on the Parisian clay, her longest winning streak at the French Open.
Swiatek set the tone early by breaking Gauff's serve in the opening game due to a forehand error. Gauff struggled in the first set, losing 2-6 and giving Swiatek a strong lead. Despite a better effort in the second set, Gauff couldn't turn the tide, and Swiatek maintained her control, securing the win in their 12th encounter.
The Pole went on to praise Gauff despite her facile victory. In a post-match on-court interview, the 23-year-old explained why Gauff was going to grow professionally. She viewed Gauff's age as an advantage that could influence her future in the sport.
"Well I think she is progressing a lot. You can see by her results, you know last year's US Open for sure showed that she's tough. I think at this age it's kind of obvious that she is going to just grow," Swiatek said.
"So it's nice to see her handling well everything around her and it's not easy so I'm sure we're going to have plenty more really intense matches on the highest level because Coco is also one of the consistent players out there," she added.
Iga Swiatek is aiming for a three-peat at the 2024 French Open. She will face Jasmine Paolini in the final on Saturday, June 8th.
Coco Gauff shed tears during the match against Iga Swiatek after an altercation with the chair umpire
Coco Gauff indeed witnessed the pressure to win the semifinal against Swiatek. What became the highlight was the American shedding tears following an altercation with the chair umpire. It occurred during the second set, following a disagreement between the chair umpire and the line judge.
The line judge ruled Swiatek's serve out, but the chair umpire disagreed and overturned the decision. This enraged Gauff, who pleaded for a replay of the decision; nonetheless, Swiatek was handed the point. Entirely dismayed, she approached the chair umpire and said:
"[The crowd] are booing you because you're wrong. I have the right to finish my swing. This is the second time this has happened. It's a Grand Slam semi-final. Know the rules of the game," she said as quoted by Express.
Gauff was frustrated after missing her return, as she made contact with the ball only after hearing the line judge.
The 20-year-old gave her all to reach the French Open semifinals, but Swiatek, who hadn't dropped a set since her intense second-round match against Naomi Osaka, proved too strong once again. The World No. 1 now aims to capture her fifth Major title at the French Open.