Coco Gauff topples Iga Swiatek to set up Cincinnati title clash with Karolina Muchova

CINCINNATI – United States teen Coco Gauff snapped a career-long jinx against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek by beating the Pole 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-4 on Saturday in the WTA Cincinnati Open semi-finals to reach her first 1000-level final.

The 19-year-old American took her first victory after seven losses to the Polish powerhouse in just under three hours after four match points to line up Sunday’s title clash with Czech Karolina Muchova, who stunned reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

“I knew playing her was going to be tough,” the seventh-ranked Gauff said. “I really took my opportunities when I got them and I really just fought for every point. I was a little bit negative in the second, but I got it back and I was telling myself, ‘You’re a warrior and you can do this’.”

Swiatek had not dropped a set in sweeping her matches before playing against Gauff, who became the first teenager to reach the Cincinnati final since Vera Zvonareva in 2004.

“I tried to serve as hard as I could on the match points. She is No. 1 in the world – you have to focus on your end of the court,” Gauff said.

She added her game felt strong on the day.

“I was playing a little bit better today. It came down to the wire. It was nice to play in front of an American crowd, even if there were some Polish flags in the stands,” she said.

Gauff’s triumph was her 11th career victory over a top-10 opponent. She beat 10th-ranked Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova last week in Montreal.

“I’ve been working hard and I guess it’s paying off right now. I told myself I can let this crush me or make me rise and I decided to make myself rise. It just shows I can do it,” she said.

Swiatek had defeated Gauff twice this season, in Dubai and Roland Garros.

“Playing her, you have to give it your all and I felt it from the moment I stepped onto the court, that I wasn’t going to lose this match today even when the moments got tough,” Gauff said.

“And I was right.”

She earned early satisfaction by winning her first set against Swiatek with an opener that ran for 67 minutes. The set featured four consecutive breaks midway through, with Gauff managing to take it into a tiebreak.

The American ran off a 4-0 lead and converted on the first of her four set points as Swiatek sent a return long. But the top seed replied quickly, breaking for 2-1 and again in the final game to square the match at a set apiece.

In the third, Gauff took the lead with a break for 4-3 and finally earned victory as Swiatek volleyed wide on her opponent’s fourth winning chance.

“There are things that I want to work on, it’s always like that when you lose,” said Swiatek.

“Overall today, I fought till the end. That’s something that I should be proud of. For sure I would want the result to be different. Coco’s a great player, so I guess she deserved (the win) more.”

At least the defeat gives Swiatek a bit of extra rest before her title defence at the US Open, which starts a week from Monday.

“I would say my tank of fuel is pretty empty. Honestly, I’m not even going to regret (anything) because I’m happy that I’m going to have days off now,” she said.

Over in the men’s draw, Carlos Alcaraz saved a match point on the way to a three-set victory over Hubert Hurkacz on Saturday as he set up a title clash with Novak Djokovic.

World No. 1 Alcaraz held on for a 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory over Hurkacz, rallying to beat the big-serving Pole for the second time in as many weeks.

World No. 2 Djokovic beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 to reach the final, which will be a repeat of July’s epic Wimbledon final won by Alcaraz.

Alcaraz has won two of three career meetings with Djokovic, but the Serb was looking forward to their first hard-court clash.

“It’s the ultimate challenge at the moment for me,” Djokovic said, noting he had beaten Alcaraz on the French Open clay before falling in five sets on grass at Wimbledon.

“Now it’s going to be the first encounter on a hard court. It’s a very good test before the US Open. Obviously different conditions. It’s still facing the top player of the world now who is in form. It’s the biggest challenge I could get, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Alcaraz’s victory, after 2hr 18min over Hurkacz, ensures the 20-year-old will remain atop the world rankings heading into the US Open. He notched his 53rd match win of the season against five defeats, but it was another hard slog for the Spaniard.

“It’s been a really tough tournament for me, all my matches going three sets. But I’m happy to win these kind of matches by staying strong mentally,” Alcaraz said.

“I’ve grown up a lot with these experiences. It’s great to be in the final,” he added. AFP, REUTERS