Coco Gauff claimed her first win over Iga Swiatek as she defeated the Polish star 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-4 to reach the final of the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open.
The 19-year-old American met the world number one seven times previously without managing to win a single set, including their last outing at the 2023 French Open quarter-finals which Swiatek won 6-4, 6-2.
Saturday’s encounter was a gruelling one with four consecutive break of serves occurring from the sixth to the ninth game of the first set. Swiatek had to opportunity to win the set with two set points at 6-5 but Gauff saved them and forced a tie break which went the American’s way 7-2.
Swiatek responded back in the second set, breaking Gauff in the third and ninth game to win the set in 43 minutes. Gauff was however relentless in the third and deciding set, making the decisive break in the seventh game and saw out the match.
1st WTA 1000 FINAL ????@CocoGauff defeats World No.1 Swiatek 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 to play for the title on Sunday in Cincinnati. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/DLtso06RJz
— wta (@WTA) August 19, 2023
Gauff has now progressed to her first-ever WTA 1000 final and will get to face Karolina Muchova on Sunday. The Czech defeated Belarusian number two seed Aryna Sabalenka in the other semi-final.
