Iga Swiatek came, Iga Swiatek saw and Iga Swiatek conquered. The Roland Garros defending titlist got past Coco Gauff in their quarter-final clash 6-4, 6-2 in little less than 90 minutes to enter the semi-finals.
In 2022, when Swiatek and Gauff played the title round in Paris, Swiatek dropped only four games to clinch her second Major there. This time, Gauff put up a better show, especially in the first set as errors leaked from Swiatek often. The Pole broke first, in the fourth game but gave the break back in the fifth. As the set headed to its closure, Gauff’s service games turned relatively lengthier as compared to Swiatek’s. In the 10th game, with Gauff serving to push the set to five-all, two unforced errors brought up set point for the world no. 1. A winner off her racquet helped her break her opponent to love and take the set.
The top seed saved two break points in the third game of the second set before securing her first break of the set in the sixth game. A couple of games later, in the eighth game, Gauff critically served a double fault to cough up two match points. A forced error from the sixth seed in the next point gave Swiatek the match.
Of the two players, Gauff who showed more inclination to come to the net. The 19-year-old, however, could win only eight of 14 points she played at the net to her opponent winning six of 10 points. Swiatek had 19 winners and 15 unforced errors while Gauff finished with 13 winners and 23 unforced errors.
Roland Garros: Beatriz Haddad Maia scripts a new tale for Brazilian tennis
Swiatek’s next opponent will be 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. The Brazilian upset seventh seed Ons Jabeur 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 in a minute shy of two hours and 30 minutes.
Both Haddad Maia and Jabeur were inconsistent as play began. Although the Tunisian gained the upper hand twice in the opening set, she gave her lead back both times. A third break of serve in the eighth game helped the world no. 7 take the set after consolidating the break.
In the second set, as their nerves settled so did the quality of their play. With the lefty looking tired thanks to the long matches, she’d played in the rounds before, it looked like Jabeur would benefit from this tiredness. The 28-year-old even raised a couple of break points in the 11th game that would’ve given her the chance to serve for the match in the 12th. But her 27-year-old rival saved both break points before taking the set and sending the match into the decider. Once there, Haddad Maia ran away with what remained of the match, giving Jabeur just a game in the process.
Beatriz Haddad Maia is the first female tennis player from her country to reach the penultimate round of the French Slam in the Open Era. The Roland Garros semi-final’s also the first singles semi she’s made at a Major in her career. In the semi, Haddad Maia will go in with a 1-0 lead against Iga Swiatek. She won the match they played in Toronto, in 2022.
Photo Credit: Roland Garros Twitter