WTA Finals: Gauff stuns Swiatek to reach semi-finals

World No.3 Coco Gauff earned her second career win over No.2 Iga Swiatek to ensure her advancement to the semifinals at the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF.

In their 13th career meeting, Gauff defeated the defending champion 6-3, 6-4 to improve to 2-0 in round-robin play and take control of the Orange Group.

The victory is Gauff’s first over Swiatek since the 2023 Cincinnati Open and snapped the Pole’s six-match win streak at the WTA Finals. A semifinalist in Cancun last year, the 20-year-old is now the youngest player to reach back-to-back semifinals at the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009-10. She is the youngest American to do so since Tracy Austin in 1979-80.

“Obviously playing Iga is tough for me, but I’m really happy how I managed to play throughout the match,” Gauff said. “And, yeah, it was a fun crowd environment. It was pretty exciting. So I’m glad to get through today”.

Earlier in the day, Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova eased past No.6 Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-3 to earn her first career WTA Finals win in singles. As a result, Gauff has secured her advancement but her position will be determined on the last day of group play on Thursday when she faces Krejcikova.

Swiatek fell to 1-1 in the group and will face Pegula in a rematch of the US Open quarterfinal, which the American won 6-2, 6-4. Swiatek’s loss to Gauff has ensured Aryna Sabalenka will finish the season as the year-end World No.1 for the first time.