In the semi-final, the Polish swept the American in two sets on Thursday (6-2, 6-4). In the final, she will face either Italian surprise Jasmine Paolini or 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, who face each other in the other semi-final.
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Even for Coco Gauff, world No. 3, the step was far too high against Iga Swiatek. The Pole swept the American in straight sets in the semi-final, Thursday June 6 (6-2, 6-4). She joins the Roland-Garros final for the 4th time in the last five editions, where she has never lost at this stage. It will either be against Jasmine Paolini, 15th in the world and surprise guest of the last four, or against the young 17-year-old Russian, Mirra Andreeva.
Before the match, everything spoke in favor of the world No. 1: she has not lost here since the 2021 quarter-final, she led 10-1 in their confrontations and always beat the 20-year-old American at Porte d’ Auteuil (in the final in 2022 and in the quarter in 2023).
The public understood this well on Central Court. “Come on Coco, it’s not over!”, we could hear the spans descending after the… first point, a sign that the challenge was immense. The Floridian was almost always overwhelmed by the power of the Pole, who attacked her from the first points, taking the ball always so early to prevent her from breathing.
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1/2 final: an impressive Swiatek in the exchange puts Gauff very far from the ball
From the first play of the match, Iga Swiatek imposes her power on Coco Gauff. At the end of a long rally, she concluded with a backhand down the line to obtain the first two break points of the match.
An entry break, far too many mistakes from the Floridian and a steamroller impression from the Pole: the first set passed in 38 minutes (6-2), with only two break points obtained by Coco Gauff (0/ 2). The American, whose game plan was to attack the double title holder from the return, made far too many errors (39 unforced errors to 14) and on the serve (four double faults) to hope to shake her up.
With her cap screwed on her head, the Pole almost always seemed in control. She suffered only one alert: when she was broken at 2-1 in the second set, just after Gauff wiped away a few tears following a heated exchange with the referee.
A break immediately canceled, before rolling towards victory. Since her memorable victory over Naomi Osaka in the second round, Iga Swiatek has lost only 14 games in four matches. “Something has changed, I would say that I am better on the court. It is not always easy, the atmosphere is very different from other tournaments. After that match, the weather changed too and it was in favor of my game”confirmed the victorious player.
With a fourth final in five years at Porte d’Auteuil, Iga Swiatek joins a closed circle, made up of Chris Evert (between 1983 and 1986), Martina Navratilova (between 1984 and 1987), Steffi Graf (between 1992 and 1996) and Justine Henin (between 2003 and 2007). The world No. 1 has reached 20 victories in a row at Roland Garros since her last defeat in 2021, and even 57 victories on clay (for four defeats) in total since that date.
Whether it is for Jasmine Paolini, who discovered the second week in the Grand Slam this year at 28 years old, or Mirra Andreeva, 17 years old and 38th in the world, the step will be even higher. Too high against this Iga Swiatek, who has made Roland-Garros her garden and is aiming for a fourth title there at only 23 years old?