Coco Gauff into French Open final, youngest major finalist in 18 years

Coco Gauff will go from celebrating her high school graduation in front of the Eiffel Tower to playing for the French Open title.

Gauff, an 18-year-old American, beat Italian Martina Trevisan 6-3, 6-1 in Thursday’s semifinals to become the youngest Grand Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova won her first major at Wimbledon in 2004.

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Gauff became the first woman to make a major final without playing a top-30 opponent in more than 40 years, winning her six matches without dropping a set.

The task should be much more difficult in Saturday’s final (live on NBC Sports). Her opponent is world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland, who earlier Thursday won her 34th consecutive match.

Swiatek swept Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1 in 64 mostly dominant minutes.

She tied the longest women’s win streak since Venus Williams won 35 in 2000. Serena Williams also won 34 in a row in 2013.

Swiatek, a 21-year-old who plays with a blue-and-yellow ribbon her cap for Ukraine, took out the Russian Kasatkina, the world No. 20 playing her first major semifinal.

Swiatek won five consecutive games between the end of the first set and start of the second set, taking 20 of the 25 points in that critical stretch. The match was over in 64 minutes.

“It’s pretty special moment and, yeah, I’m really emotional,” Swiatek said in an on-court interview. “To be able to play my game, it’s amazing.”

On Saturday, Swiatek will bid for a second French Open title in three years.

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Coco Gauff with a message for peace after advancing to the French Open final. pic.twitter.com/NqA4FEpzS2

— On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) June 2, 2022

Excited to have won my first match @rolandgarros