Roland Garros,
Thursday, 6 June, 2024
McCreadie
World No.1 Iga Świątek came through a tough test to beat Coco Gauff and reach the final of the French Open tennis tournament for the third consecutive year.
The reigning champion beat the American in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in the women’s singles semi-final at Roland Garros 2024 on Thursday (6 June). The 22-year-old will meet first-time major finallist Jasmine Paolini of Italy, who saw off 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the second semi, 6-3 6-1.
In a repeat of the 2022 final, both Gauff and Świątek put their strengths on display from the off, the former utilising her backhand while the latter’s footwork proved pivotal in her victory.
Living up to her No.1 world ranking, the reigning champion took the first set by a distance, dropping just two games to the American.
But as we’ve seen previously, U.S. Open champion Gauff knows how to hit her stride when facing defeat.
The 20-year-old broke Swiatek’s serve to lead 3-1 in the second set, despite a dispute with the umpire over a line call that left her visibly emotional and in tears on court.
But her Polish opponent proved just why she has not been beaten at Roland-Garros since 2021. She recovered to take it 6-4 for a straight sets win, giving herself the chance to winning a third French Open title in a row and fourth overall. It’d be her fifth major in total, having won the 2022 U.S. Open, too.
Meanwhile, 12th-seeded Paolini is having a banner year, with the 28-year-old capturing a WTA 1000 title in Dubai. She’s also in the French Open semis in doubles alongside Sara Errani, her compatriot who was runner-up in singles in Paris in 2012.
“I learned a little bit later than other players, but to dream is the most important thing in sport and in life,” a beaming Paolini said after her win over Andreeva. “Yeah, I am happy that I could dream this moment. I don’t know what else to say.”
The women’s singles final is set for Saturday (8 June).