In a decisive match at the United Cup semifinals, Coco Gauff secured a convincing victory over Iga Swiatek, winning 6-4, 6-2. The match took place in Sydney and lasted one hour and 41 minutes. Despite Gauff’s individual success, it was Poland that ultimately triumphed in the tournament, knocking out the defending champions, the USA, to advance to the final against Switzerland.
Poland’s success was bolstered by the performances of Hubert Hurkacz, who defeated Taylor Fritz in singles, and the duo of Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski, who clinched the win in doubles by overcoming Gauff and Christian Harrison.
Following the semifinal, Swiatek addressed the evolving nature of her rivalry with Gauff, acknowledging the American’s improvement. “Yeah, for sure I feel like Coco has improved stuff. It’s quite visible,” Swiatek remarked. “The matches we played a couple of years back were mostly kind of one-sided. She’s also growing in age, more experienced as well. So yeah, congrats to her basically.”
Gauff’s victory adds to her recent successes against Swiatek. With this win, Gauff has now secured three consecutive victories over the Polish player, including their encounters at the 2024 WTA Finals and in Madrid earlier this year. Prior to this shift, Swiatek had a strong record against Gauff, winning 11 of their previous 15 meetings. As both players prepare for the upcoming Australian Open, their rivalry is set to become one of the most compelling narratives on the WTA Tour.
While Gauff has gained the upper hand recently, it is important to remember that Swiatek claimed victory in their last Grand Slam encounter at Roland Garros in 2024. As both players enter the Grand Slam season in strong form, another showdown is anticipated, underscoring the dynamic nature of their ongoing rivalry. The tennis world will be watching closely as these two top competitors continue to evolve in their game and their encounters.
