Coco Gauff showered praise on Iga Swiatek recently and compared their developing rivalry to that of Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams. Currently in Cancun for the WTA Finals, the duo were pooled in the same round-robin group. Their clash added yet another chapter to a rivalry that could indeed become the next big duel in women’s tennis. Gauff certainly hopes so, wishing to play more against her.
Sharapova and Williams fought a glorious battle during their playing days. Gauff hoped for her budding rivalry with Swiatek to soon reach and even surpass the elite level set by the now-retired pair. She spoke very highly of her Polish counterpart, saying Swiatek makes her a better player.
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are participating in the WTA Finals in Cancun right now. Their group stage fixture was their 10th match against each other and the World No.2 won their clash, 6-0, 7-5. As a result, the current head-to-head reads 9-1 in the four-time Grand Slam winner’s favour. Gauff secured her only win over Swiatek in the semi-final of the Cincinnati Open 2023 after seven losses.
Gauff, 19, was asked about facing Swiatek, 22, for the 10th time already despite being so young. The teenager recalled Sharapova and Williams‘ rivalry, who faced each other 17 times. She was surprised that she and Swiatek were more than halfway to reaching the famous duo’s tally (via The Tennis Letter on X).
“Yeah. Serena & Sharapova, what? 17 times? Oh my goodness.”
Talking about the World No.2, Gauff said she is always a difficult opponent for her. She revealed dealing with an injury in their last clash in Beijing but lauded Swiatek as one of the greatest players from the current generation.
“She’s a tough player for anyone to play, but especially with my game. I found a little bit of it in Cincinnati. In Beijing, it was tough for me. I was dealing with a little bit of an injury there… she’s a tough player & she’s definitely one of the best players in our generation.”
Gauff believed that the more she faces Swiatek, the more her own game improves. She said every match against the Pole is a learning experience, regardless of the result. She hoped to get her second win over her rival in the WTA Finals, adding that they might end up playing more against each other than anybody else.
“I think for me, the more I can play against her, the more I can get better. After each time I play her I do learn & get better whether it’s a win or a loss. Hopefully this time I’d love to get a win on our head-to-head… At this rate, we’ll probably have the most matches ever at the end of our careers.”
Swiatek is the dominant force in this nascent rivalry. However, Gauff has turned over a new leaf in the past couple of months. Having bagged her first Grand Slam, she looks like a force to reckon with.
Fans react to Coco Gauff and her thoughts
Fans reacted to Gauff waxing lyrical about Swiatek while wishing for their rivalry to grow into something great. Some appreciated for displaying sportsmanship in praising her opponent despite repeated losses.
Other fans reacted to the fact that Gauff and Swiatek will face each other for the 10th time already despite being so young. A couple of users took digs at the lopsided head-to-head between the duo.
Despite trailing 1-9, the head-to-head will not greatly affect Gauff even as the duo might clash against each other in the final match of the WTA Finals too. Under new coaches Brad Gilbert and Pere Riba, the American has taken her game to higher levels. Their rivalry could develop into a thrilling duel to dominate women’s tennis for the years to come.
