Youngster Gauff outplayed Sventek in Madrid, emulating Halep's one-of-a-kind achievement there.
Coco Gauff's Dominant Show Gives Unexpected Upset
The tennis world is abuzz after American superstar Coco Gauff, currently the fourth-ranked player globally, stunned the WTA-1000 clay-court tournament in Madrid. In a jaw-dropping semifinals display, the 20-year-old stamped her authority against the mighty Iga Świątek of Poland, winning 6:1, 6:1.
Świątek, the world No. 2 and reigning US Open champion, experienced one of her most decisive losses on clay as a result of Gauff's unstoppable performance.
Gauff's remarkable form and unwavering confidence left Świątek struggling to maintain her usual dominance on the slow surface. This was Gauff's third personal victory over Świątek, making history as her first triumph on clay. Previously, Simona Halep had been the only player to achieve a comparable feat on clay, defeating Świątek 6:1, 6:0 at the 2019 French Open.
Gauff's performance against Świątek on clay was astounding, as she denied her rival's usual dominance, dropping just two games in the process. With this win, she advanced to the Madrid tournament final, eagerly pursuing her first WTA-1000 title on clay.
Looking back, their most significant clay-court encounter dates to the 2022 French Open Final, where Świątek triumphed 6-1, 6-3, securing her second Roland Garros tile. However, the Madrid Open Semifinal in 2025 stands as their most consequential clay-court match to date, with Gauff establishing her dominance against Świątek, leading their head-to-head record on this surface by 1-11 to 3-11 in Świątek's favor (three wins for Gauff from a total of 14 encounters).
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(Sources: Opta Ace; ESPN; Matchstat)
Bookmakers have slashed Coco Gauff's odds to win more tennis tournaments in 2023, after her dominant show against Iga Świątek in the Madrid WTA-1000 clay-court tournament. Fewer sports enthusiasts are betting on tennis matches featuring Świątek, now that Gauff has shown her ability to dominate on clay. In the light of Gauff's stunning semifinals win against Świątek, tennis pundits are discussing a potential shift in power within women's tennis. This year's Rome Masters and US Open could see fewer victories for Świątek, as more players aim to emulate Gauff's success against her.
