A Coco Gauff – Iga Swiatek shock in the semi-finals

The Iga Swiatek wave broke again on the Philippe-Chatrier court on Tuesday to engulf the Czech Marketa Vondrousova (6th in the world) 6-0, 6-2 in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros and join Coco Gauff (3rd) in the semi-finals for a revenge of the 2022 final won by the Pole.

“Everything worked well. I served better than in the previous rounds and that gave me a lot of confidence. I was able to play without asking myself any questions,” enjoyed the world No.1.

She is more than ever favorite for a fourth title on Parisian soil, the third in a row (after 2020, 2022, 2023), and a fifth Grand Slam lift with the 2022 US Open.

Only former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka has managed to threaten the Pole in five matches so far this year at Roland Garros, in the second round (victory for Swiatek 7-6, 1-6, 7-5). Swiatek swallowed up his other four opponents leaving them with only 11 games in total.

In the round of 16, she did not give up a single game to the Russian Anastasia Potapova, overwhelmed in 40 minutes.

On Tuesday, she faced the winner of the last Wimbledon and the finalist of Roland-Garros 2019. She inflicted almost the same punishment on her.

It took him 30 minutes to win the first white set, including 11 minutes for the fourth game alone, pocketed on his fifth break point.

In the second set, Vondrousova won her first service game and immediately offered herself her first break point. But Swiatek erased it and resumed his march forward to finish with a fifth and final break.

“In previous matches, I sometimes lost a little concentration. But today I was completely in my game,” the Pole underlined with satisfaction.

As for her next match, she assures that she is not going to “change anything in (her) routines”, because she considers this half as a match “like any other”.

“I’m going to focus on myself and prepare tactically,” she just explained.

Gauff, 20 years old and winner of the last US Open, had previously dismissed the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (9th) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

She did not have an easy time getting rid of Jabeur, who we had not seen so successful for several months, she who had difficulty digesting her defeat in the Wimbledon final last year, the third in a Grand Slam.

“She was a tough opponent and I know she had your support,” Gauff commented while addressing the audience.

For her first quarter-final at Roland-Garros, the 29-year-old Tunisian bravely played her luck. Proactive and more solid in the rallies, Jabeur won the first set after breaking in the seventh game.

Gauff, who dominated in the round of 16 in Paris in 2021, then knew how to step on the accelerator, notably by going to the net more often. Rewarded with a break (3-1) then a second (4-2), after having again given in on her commitment (3-2), she was able to maintain this advantage to equalize.

In the last set, the American did not ease the pressure, once again seizing Jabeur’s serve. The latter ended up giving in, not without having saved two match points, by continuing to attack.

“I tried to be more aggressive because she continued to hit winning shots. I did what I had to do to win,” said Gauff.