In a dominant semifinal at the clay-court Madrid Open, 19-year-old Coco Gauff asserted herself as a force on clay by crushing defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in just 64 minutes.
Gauff broke Swiatek’s serve three times in the opening set and twice in the second, securing her first-ever final appearance in the Spanish capital. “The mentality I had was aggressive,” the world No. 4 said, reflecting on a performance that forced the four-time French Open champion into uncomfortable positions.
Waiting in the final is world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who overcame Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-5 to make her fourth Madrid Open final. Sabalenka, a two-time champion here, ended Svitolina’s perfect clay record of 9-0 this season.
The upcoming title match will pit two of the fastest-rising stars on tour against each other. Gauff holds a narrow 5-4 edge in their head-to-head and has bested Sabalenka on clay before—in Rome 2021—as well as in last year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh.
As Gauff bids for her first WTA 1000 trophy, her journey at the Madrid Open has combined powerful baseline strokes with tactical precision. Her clay breakthrough follows strong showings in Stuttgart and Rome, signaling a potential shift in momentum ahead of Roland Garros.
Sabalenka, who has already clinched 30 main-draw wins in 2025, will look to reclaim the crown she earned in 2021 and 2023. With both players in peak form, Sunday’s final promises to be a high-octane clash under the Spanish sun.
Sports fans worldwide are buzzing: Can Gauff maintain her aggressive edge to dethrone the world No. 1? Or will Sabalenka’s experience and power prevail? Tune in to witness the next chapter in this fast-evolving rivalry at the Madrid Open.
Reference(s):
Gauff tops Swiatek to reach Madrid final against World No. 1 Sabalenka
cgtn.com
