Iga Swiatek now 10-1 against Coco Gauff, awaits Rome final opponent

The world No. 1 will face either world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of their Madrid title bout, or Danielle Collins.

In previewing Thursday's Rome semifinal between Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, Steve Tignor wrote, "This may be a Swiatek win, and a chance for Gauff to gauge her clay game against the gold standard."

Correct on both counts: Swiatek won, 6-4, 6-3, and Gauff's clay game—while perhaps Top 5 on tour—is still a great distance behind the Polish pacesetter's.

Swiatek, who is now 10-1 against Gauff in their still young careers, is often doling out 6-0 and 6-1 sets on her favorite surface. While Gauff avoided that today, it's cold comfort to a player who surely has goals comparable to Swiatek's, if not her all-around game.

This was their first meeting since colliding in last year's WTA Finals, a 6-0, 7-5 victory for Swiatek. That was their fifth match-up in 2023, and while it took some time for them to cross paths this season, familar patterns emerged.