Iga Swiatek reasserts dominance in Coco Gauff rivalry and keeps pressure on Aryna Sabalenka for No 1 ranking

Shahida Jacobs
Iga Swiatek in action
Iga Swiatek of Poland during a match

Four-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek handed Coco Gauff her first defeat in 17 matches as she claimed a dominant win in the semi-final of the China Open with the victory giving her hopes of regaining the No 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka a boost.

Swiatek has dominated the head-to-head rivalry with Gauff as she won their first seven encounters before the American finally got in the scoreboard at the Cincinnati Open in August as she won their last-four clash.

Gauff’s win in Cincinnati was part of her incredible 16-match unbeaten run – the longest streak on the WTA Tour in 2023 – but it is a case of 16 and out for the teenager as she was brushed aside by Swiatek in Beijing.

The Pole broke in games three and five of the opening set and in the opening game and the ninth game of the second set.

Swiatek made an interesting comment after the win as she admitted she is finally “playing freely again” following a tough couple of weeks as she lost in the semi-finals in Canada and Cincinnati, the last 16 of the US Open and the quarter-final in Japan last week.

“I’m really happy with my performance. It feels like I can play freely again. It’s been a while since I felt that way,” she said.

“I’ll remember for the rest of my career that even though tougher times may come, in your mind, you can always overcome that. With hard work, you can achieve it.

“I’m happy I switched my attitude after the US Open, and hopefully I’ll be able to keep it for as long as possible.”

The win also keeps Swiatek’s year-end No 1 ranking hopes alive as she is now just 815 points adrift of Sabalenka at the top in the WTA Live Rankings. Sabalenka ended the Pole’s 74-week streak at No 1 after the US Open.

If Swiatek goes on to win the title on Sunday then the deficit will be just 465 points with all to play for at the season-ending WTA Finals.

Swiatek, who will face either Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova in the Beijing final, will look to win her fifth title in 2023 on Sunday. The world No 2 has already won the Qatar Open, Stuttgart Grand Prix, French Open and Poland Open this year.

READ MORE: Iga Swiatek reveals biggest hurdle to her completing a career Grand Slam

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