"Trying to get as many 6-0 sets as possible because Iga Swiatek has the bakery; I can have a mini one" - Coco Gauff after dominant Indian Wells 4R win
Coco Gauff has shared her desire to follow in Iga Swiatek's footsteps and establish her own 'mini bakery' on tour.
Gauff rang in her 20th birthday in style, booking her place in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Indian Wells Open with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory over Elise Mertens in an hour and six minutes. Her commanding performance in the opening set marked the 23rd 6-0 set of her career.
Following the win, the World No. 3 wished to win as many 6-0 sets as possible, aspiring to establish a 'mini' version of Iga Swiatek's 'bakery' on tour.
"Honestly, I think I'm trying to get as many 6-0 sets as possible because we have Iga, who has the bakery. I can have a mini one," Coco Gauff said in her post-match press conference.
The 'bakery' moniker regarding Swiatek originated within the tennis community on social media due to the World No. 1's tendency to win sets by a scoreline of 6-0 (a bagel) and 6-1 (a breadstick).
Coco Gauff also addressed the superstition among players, like Taylor Fritz, about winning a set 6-0 leading to losing the next set. However, the American emphasized that she doesn't subscribe to such beliefs.
"I did think about it, because I remember Taylor Fritz said in an interview...," she said.
"I've only heard Taylor's about the 6-0 set. He was, I'll lose a game to make it 6-1. I did think about that. I don't believe in that superstition. Obviously it happens, I feel like, more frequently than you think. But, yeah, I don't believe in it," she added.
Indian Wells QF: Coco Gauff to take on Daria Kasatkina or Yue Yuan; Iga Swiatek faces Caroline Wozniacki
Following her triumph over Elise Mertens, Gauff will take on the winner of the match between Daria Kasatkina and Yue Yuan in the quarterfinals.
While the American has yet to face Yuan before, she has lost all three of her encounters against Kasatkina. Their most recent meeting in the group stage of the 2022 WTA Finals saw the Russian win 7-6(6), 6-3.
Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, beat Yulia Putintseva 6-1, 6-2 in the fourth round of the WTA 1000 event. Swiatek squares off against Caroline Wozniacki in a blockbuster quarterfinal showdown, following the Dane's 6-4, 6-2 win over Angelique Kerber.