Iga Swiatek goes to the semi-finals. The Pole easily eliminated Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros in two winning sets 6-4, 6-2. Earlier in the day, Haddad Maia qualified for her first major semi-final, aged 27, at the expense of world number 7 Ons Jabeur 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6 -1. The other semi-final will pit Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, world number 2, against Czech Karolina Muchova (43rd) on Thursday.
No set cashed
Swiatek, winner for the first time at Porte d’Auteuil in 2020, has not missed a single set since the start of the Paris fortnight. The 22-year-old Polish even inflicted four 6-0s on her opponents, one in the first round, one in the second and two in the third. In the round of 16, she benefited from the abandonment after six games of the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko (66th), sick. “I’m quite fresh physically, I haven’t spent too much time on the court in my previous matches, I’m ready to play again tomorrow (Thursday),” she said.
Gauff definitely does not find the parade against Swiatek. In now seven games, the 19-year-old American has not only never won, but has never managed to pocket a set either. In the first tight set, Gauff, who tried to shake up Swiatek, made up for a late break (3-1 to 3-3), but the world number 1 was able to put a boost to 4 games everywhere to break and turn in the lead.
“A difficult game”
In the second, Gauff only held the pace until 2 all, before losing the next four games and losing in just under an hour and a half. “It was a tough match, especially in the first set, which was really tight,” Swiatek said.
Sabalenka being qualified for the last four like her, the young Polish must imperatively climb to the final at least to have a chance of remaining on the throne of world number 1 at the end of Roland-Garros. A year ago in the final, Swiatek beat Gauff 6-1, 6-3 to claim his second Grand Slam title. She now has three, since her coronation at the US Open 2022.