No.1 Swiatek rips Gauff to reach WTA San Diego semis

SAN DIEGO, California: World number one Iga Swiatek, seeking her eighth WTA title of the year, cruised over eighth-ranked Coco Gauff on Friday to reach the San Diego Open semifinals. In a rematch of the French Open women’s final, the 21-year-old Polish star rolled over 18-year-old American Gauff 6-0, 6-3 in 65 minutes. Three-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek advanced to a Saturday semifinal against sixth-ranked Jessica Pegula, who defeated 18th-ranked US compatriot Madison Keys 6-4, 7-5.

Croatia’s Donna Vekic made the semifinals by ousting fifth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1. Vekic, ranked 77th, will next face the winner of a later match between Spain’s fourth-ranked Paula Badosa and 19th-ranked American Danielle Collins. Swiatek won her WTA-best 62nd match triumph of the year in her tour-best 12th quarter-final of the season.

Swiatek, a runner-up last week at Ostrava, seeks her 11th career WTA title and her eighth of the year after crowns at Qatar, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome and the US and French Opens. Gauff fell to 0-4 all-time against Swiatek, having lost last year in Rome and this year at Miami and Roland Garros, where Swiatek dispatched her 6-1, 6-3 for the trophy. Swiatek broke three times to lead 5-0, saved two break points in the final game and held to claim the opening set after 29 minutes.

Swiatek broke to open and close the second set for the victory. Swiatek is 3-1 all-time against Pegula, having lost their first meeting in 2019 at Washington but won this year at the Miami semifinals and US and French Open quarter-finals. Vekic improved to 5-1 all-time over Sabalenka after two hours and 37 minutes to reach her first semifinal of the year.