Coco Gauff relishing Iga Swiatek semi-final in Dubai, plans to 'go out there swinging and believing' against world No. 1

Coco Gauff plans to “go out there swinging” and “believing” she can win when she faces red-hot world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals. Swiatek has been in stunning form over the last two weeks, winning the Qatar Open for the loss of just five games and crushing Leylah Fernandez and Liudmila Samsonova so far in Dubai.

Ad She has won all five previous meetings in straight sets against Gauff, including at last year’s WTA Finals and the 2022 French Open final. Australian OpenDominant Djokovic destroys De Minaur in straight sets to set up Rublev clash23/01/2023 AT 08:38 But Gauff is not dwelling on the one-sided head-to-head record. “All five times, I did something wrong!” she said ahead of her sixth meeting with Swiatek on Friday.

“To be honest, she's playing great tennis and there's a reason she's world No.1. Tomorrow I have no pressure. I just have to play my game — I definitely think I've gotten better since the last time I played her.

“Ranking is just a number at the end of the day. You just have to step on the court believing you can win, and that's what I'm going to do tomorrow." Gauff, 18, has not dropped a set in two matches in Dubai and beat fellow American Madison Keys 6-2 7-5 to reach the semi-finals. Swiatek had a bye into the last four after her scheduled opponent Karolina Pliskova withdrew due to illness.

“She’s playing at the top of her game,” Gauff said about Swiatek. “It’s going to be a challenge. But, to be honest, I think it’s a good matchup just to see where I can maybe improve on.

“I’m just going to go out there swinging. Whatever happens, happens. You just kind of have to go in believing you can win even when the odds seem stacked against you.” Gauff is now in