Coco Gauff says she was ‘confident’ about winning against Iga Swiatek at WTA Finals as she finally registers her second career victory over the Pole
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek fell to Coco Gauff for the second time in their 13 meetings, in her second-group stage match at the WTA Finals.
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Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek (Images via X)
As expected, the match between Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals was not a one-sided affair. The American had a 1-11 head-to-head record against the Pole before this match but was able to beat Swiatek for the second time in her career with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4.
Gauff restricted the World No.2 to three games in the first set but Swiatek was not ready to accept defeat easily. The second set was no different as both gave each other tough competition. Swiatek, who is playing her first tournament since her quarterfinal exit at the US Open, tried her all but in the end, she failed to overcome the 20-year-old.
After the match, the 2023 US Open champion admitted that she was confident about winning the match in spite of her mediocre head-to-head record against the former World No.1.
It feels great. I knew going into it despite our head-to-head I had a lot of confidence. I felt like I was playing great tennis. Even when I was playing a bit sloppy, the games I lost were still going to deuce. They gave me confidence. I knew if I could stay solid, I’d have the chance to close out the match.
Coco Gauff said after the match
Swiatek has been seen struggling in the tournament. She had to toil hard to win the first group-stage match she played against Barbora Krejcikova.
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff’s next round opponents are Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova respectively
Following this match, Iga Swiatek will lock horns with Jessica Pegula, who is out of contention for the WTA Finals title as she has already lost her first two group-stage matches. Swiatek will be meeting the American for the 11th time in her career and leads 6-4 in their head-to-head encounters.
They had previously met in this year’s US Open quarterfinals with Pegula winning the match before reaching the final. Also, it will be the second time they will clash in the year-end event as they met in 2023 where Swiatek defeated Pegula in straight sets in the final and won her first WTA Finals title.
Coco Gauff, on the other hand, will meet reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. It will be their second encounter on the WTA Tour as they previously locked horns in the quarterfinals of the 2021 French Open, which the World No. 13 won in straight sets. Krejcikova lost her first match she played against Swiatek but defeated Pegula in her next match.
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Gouri Das
(4685 Articles Published)