PARIS — Coco Gauff, 18, and Iga Swiatek, 21, have by no means performed singles in opposition to one another on the French Open earlier than their remaining scheduled for Saturday. However they did come inside one level of doing so in Paris in 2018.
That was the 12 months Gauff gained the ladies’ singles title on the French Open, beating her shut good friend and American compatriot Caty McNally within the remaining. McNally beat Swiatek within the semifinal, saving a match level.
“I used to be truly making ready to play her,” Gauff stated of Swiatek. “And Caty saved a match level in opposition to her, and I ended up taking part in Caty within the remaining.”
Gauff stated she doesn’t know Swiatek properly, however she has identified her since they each began out on the skilled tour in 2019. “I’ve identified her since she was most likely ranked decrease, and now that she’s No. 1, I’ll say that nothing has actually modified aside from her tennis,” Gauff stated in her information convention forward of the ultimate. “Behind the scenes, she’s as good as I believe you guys see within the press conferences. I believe that’s actually vital and uncommon to see, so I positively congratulate her on that side.”
Gauff is 0-2 in opposition to Swiatek on tour, however this will probably be their first singles match in a Grand Slam match and their first remaining.
“This remaining, I imply I need it for myself, however I believe I’m actually joyful to play her particularly,” Gauff stated. “I at all times wished to play her in a remaining, and I knew it was going to occur finally simply from, even in juniors, the way in which our video games had been each projecting. I simply didn’t assume it will occur so quickly.”
Swiatek has actually grow to be an everyday in finals. That is her sixth straight remaining on tour as she has prolonged her profitable streak to 34 matches. However she has been monitoring Gauff’s progress as properly. “For positive I’m fairly joyful that she’s doing properly, as a result of I believe she’s additionally had an enormous quantity of stress in her life and being at all times the youngest one and the one that’s purported to be the longer term,” Swiatek stated. “It should have been robust.”