Tennis star Iga Swiatek has finally ended Coco Gauff’s winning streak in Beijing. Young Gauff was on a roll, but Iga proved to be too formidable an opponent for her. With this win, Swiatek has now made her way to yet another final, at the China Open this time. However, not all fans are happy with Swiatek’s victory.
Iga was dominant throughout the match and did not let the important moments slip through her fingers. The Pole ended Gauff’s winning streak, which began in Cincinnati, earning her maiden Grand Slam in the process. She thus became the youngest payer since Serena Williams to win the US Open.
Following her victory, Swiatek stated how relieved she was at being able to play freely again. Iga was reflective, as she added that her main takeaway was that it is possible to overcome tough challenges. “It feels like I can play freely again, so I’m really happy. It’s been a while since I felt that way,” she said (via The Guardian).
Iga Swiatek after snapping Coco Gauff’s 16-match win streak:
“It feels like I can play freely again. It’s been a while since I felt that way. I’ll remember for the rest of my career that even though tougher times may come, in your mind you can always overcome that. With hard… pic.twitter.com/TpZyUAim2M
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 7, 2023
With this win under her belt, Swiatek will lock horns with Liudmila Samsonova in the final. Swiatek was remarkable, as she committed only four unforced errors. Iga now leads their head-to-head 8-1.
While Iga was absolutely clinical on the court against Gauff, fans are not happy with her. Several users criticized the former world number one for her post-match interview. One fan wondered, “So Coco was her litmus test?” Here are a few reactions to her victory.
So Coco was her litmus test? Lmao. Looks like she was jealous of her recent success. https://t.co/K0xzVVSLXs
— MPORA Ⓜ️🅾️SES🎾🇺🇬 (@MosesMpora1) October 7, 2023
Who stopped her from playing “freely”?????
— Scoop Malinowski (@scoopmalinowski) October 7, 2023
Not everyone is mentally built to handle being no. 1. That’s why the legends of the sport are so special.
— BA Angel ⚾️🏈🏀🥊🎾 (@ThatmanBa) October 7, 2023
While Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are rivals on the court, both players have a lot of respect for each other. Gauff even came out in support of the Pole recently, thus affirming the statement.
Coco Gauff defends Iga Swiatek
The US Open champion has crashed out of the China Open, but true to herself, Gauff has praised Swiatek. They clashed in the semifinal in Beijing, where Swiatek emerged victorious.
Iga had a spectacular year in 2022, winning eight titles, with two of them being Grand Slams. She also ascended to the top of the rankings and remained there for 77 weeks before Aryna Sabalenka dethroned her. Compared to her success last year, Swiatek has not been on par with herself. However, Gauff revealed that, if she could, she would take Iga’s successes over hers any day.
Coco Gauff defends Iga Swiatek from people who say she didn’t have a good season:
“I mean, I’ve seen some of the comments people are saying, like she had not a good season. I mean, she won a Grand Slam & was #1 forever. I’m like, I would dream to have the season like she had… pic.twitter.com/9g0QpwSSD6
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 7, 2023
Coco confessed to seeing fans comment on Swiatek’s lack of success. But the Pole has a Grand Slam and she was ranked number one for a long time. “I would dream to have the season like she had this year,” said Coco.
Iga Swiatek will be playing her eighth WTA 1000 final against Samsonova next. Swiatek has set her own bar so high, that fans react negatively if she cannot reach it.
