Swiatek swamps Gauff to move into Dubai final

Iga Swiatek handed Coco Gauff a sixth straight loss in their series on Friday, defeating the American 6-4, 6-2 to move into the final of the WTA event in Dubai.

World No. 1 Swiatek, beat the Florida teenager four times in 2022, with Gauff never having won a set against the Polish pacesetter.

Swiatek, now 12-2 this season, will bid for her second title this month after winning Doha, playing the winner from third seed Jessica Pegula and former Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova.

The Saturday showdown will be the 15th final of the 21-year-old’s career.

“I wanted to be consistent with my tactics,” Swiatek said. “My tennis is working out,” said the player who has stood atop the ranking for 47 consecutive weeks.

“I’m enjoying how I’m playing, especially after reaching back-to-back finals,” said the player who lifted eight trophies in 2022.

“I want to take confidence from that. 

After winning an 52-minute opening set which required five set points, Swiatek licked up her pace to take a 3-0 lead in the second set after another quarter of an hour.

But she hit a speed bump while leading a set and 4-0, with Gauff managing a break of serve as the top seed sent over a double-fault, her third of the match, losing one of her two breaks, 4-2.

But Swiatek immediately replied with a break-back, sending a winner down the line to re-establish superiority, 5-2.

The treble Grand Slam champion finished off victory a game later on her first match point with a serve winner which Gauff netted after 89 minutes.

Swiatek wrote a message to her father at home in Poland, trying to convince him to fly down for the final.

Main photo:- Iga Swiatek wins semi-final match in Dubai ©WTATennis.com