Coco Gauff defeats Iga Swiatek, reaches Madrid Open final

Coco Gauff delivered a stunning performance to defeat defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in the Madrid Open semifinals, marking her first victory over Swiatek on clay. Despite Swiatek's dominant head-to-head record and status as a clay-court specialist, Gauff's aggressive strategy left the Polish star unable to mount a challenge, as she failed to secure a single break point and dropped serve five times. Swiatek, who has struggled to maintain her previous high standards this season, showed visible frustration during the match, including a rare code violation for an audible obscenity. Gauff acknowledged that Swiatek was not at her best but credited her own mentality and execution for the emphatic win. The American advances to the final, where she will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Elina Svitolina. Meanwhile, Swiatek will look to regroup after another disappointing semifinal exit in 2025.