2023-08-19 21:00:00
American Coco Gauff edged Poland’s Iga Swiatek in three sets 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.
Seventh racket in the world, Gauff disposed of the number 1 in the world in 2 hours 50 minutes of play. On Sunday, she will aim for a third title this season as well as a second title in three weeks. She had won the Washington Open in early August.
Gauff thus defeated Swiatek for the first time in his career, in their eighth meeting.
“It feels really good,” Gauff said. It shows that I can be at this level, or at least fight at this level. I’m sure I’ll face him many more times. I still don’t think I’m at the peak of my potential. »
“I fought until the end, for his part said Swiatek. Coco is an excellent player. This match, she deserved it more. My energy is dry and I’m happy to have a few days off. »
Gauff is the fourth player under 20 to reach the final in Cincinnati since the start of the modern tennis era, and the first since Vera Zvonareva in 2004. The last to win the title was Linda Tuero in 1968, then 17 years old.
Unexpected finale
The Czech Karolina Muchova for her part overcame Aryna Sabalenka in three sets of 6-7, 6-3 and 6-2 to meet Coco Gauff in the final.
Muchova, 26, reached the final of a Masters1000 tournament for the first time in her career. She lost to Iga Swiatek in the Roland-Garros final earlier in 2023. Overall, the 17th-ranked player in the world has not won on the WTA circuit since her only title at the Korea Open in 2019.
Sabalenka, 2nd racket in the world, was inconsistent in the duel, she who committed ten double faults and allowed 13 break points to her vis-à-vis.
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