"I did not want the Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils record" - Coco Gauff after claiming first-ever win over Iga Swiatek to reach Cincinnati Open final
Coco Gauff expressed her delight at having secured her first-ever win over Iga Swiatek during their thrilling semifinal clash at the 2023 Cincinnati Open. The American youngster previously held a 0-7 record against the World No. 1.
On Saturday, August, 19, Gauff and Swiatek battled it out for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 event. The American, who had previously lost 14 consecutive sets against the Pole, snapped her losing streak by securing the opening set in a tiebreak.
Although Swiatek bounced back to take the second set, the 19-year-old held her nerve to win the decider, claiming a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 victory and advancing to her maiden WTA 1000 final.
During her post-match press conference, Coco Gauff weighed in on her first-ever win over Swiatek, highlighting her relief at avoiding a record similar to Gael Monfils' 0-19 against Novak Djokovic.
"It feels good. To be honest, I don't know if I was thinking too far ahead. No offense to Gael, but I did not want that record, like the Novak and Gael record. I didn't want that," she said.
The World No. 7 shared her determination to narrow the gap in her head-to-head record against Swiatek. She claimed that her previous struggles weren't solely down to the Pole's skills but also stemmed from the challenges of facing players of the World No. 1's caliber. Gauff stated that the win boosted her confidence in her abilities to compete against the best.
"Yeah, I'm really trying to cut this down as much as possible. So hopefully I can face her again and get the numbers up (smiling). But it feels really good. It wasn't necessarily like her as a player. I think it was just the moment playing players like her. I think it gives me confidence that I have the ability. I mean, she's a four-time Grand Slam champion, No. 1. It shows that I can be at that level or compete with that level at least," she added.
Coco Gauff to lock horns with Karolina Muchova in Cincinnati Open final
Coco Gauff will come up against Karolina Muchova in the 2023 Cincinnati Open final. Muchova advanced to the final after defeating second seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2 in a rematch of their 2023 French Open semifinal.
Sunday's title clash will mark the first-ever tour-level meeting between Gauff and Muchova. In a press conference, the Czech admitted that they had never practiced together before and that she was expecting a tough challenge from the American in the final.
"I don't think we even ever practiced together. I know she is a great mover. Powerful, again. I saw some rallies today when she played Iga. Very, very tough. Like every round here, it's very tough. I'm looking forward to that," Muchova said.
Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova will battle it out for the biggest title of their respective careers so far when they clash in the final of the WTA 1000 event. The American will enter the title clash with a slight physical advantage, having spent 6 hours and 24 minutes on the court, compared to Muchova's 10 hours and 1 minute.