French Open Day 12: Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff dominate, set up meeting in final
By the end of Thursday, the French Open women's final will be set.
No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek punched her ticket to the final and extended her win streak to 34 matches with a win over Daria Kasatkina early Thursday.
In the other semifinal match, American Coco Gauff is looking for her first finals appearance in a Grand Slam. With the women's side of the bracket decimated by upsets, Gauff — ranked No. 18 — is the second-highest seed left on the women's side. She'll take on Martina Trevisan in the semifinal Thursday.
Iga Swiatek dominates to advance to French Open final
In a tournament defined by upsets on the women's side, Swiatek has lived up to expectations. Swiatek continued her dominant run Thursday, defeating Kasatkina in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the French Open final.
In the zone 😮💨#RolandGarros | @iga_swiatekpic.twitter.com/MaQKId3mV1
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 2, 2022
Swiatek capped off the victory in dominant fashion, ending the match with an ace. It was Swiatek's only ace of the match.
🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek is through to another Grand Slam final!
🎥: #RolandGarrospic.twitter.com/1jYJzWkO5w— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 2, 2022
The win extended Swiatek's streak to 34 straight match victories. That's the second-longest streak since 2000. Swiatek's win tied her with Serena Williams, who won 34 straight matches in 2013. Venus Williams holds the longest win streak since 2000. She won 35 straight matches in 2000.
It was a dominant showing for Swiatek, 21, who will advance to her second French Open final. Swiatek won the event in 2020, beating Sofia Kenin.
Coco Gauff advances to French Open final
Gauff did not enter the French Open with as much fanfare as Swiatek, but Gauff was equally dominant in her win over Trevisan on Thursday. Gauff dispatched Trevisan in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.
In doing so, Gauff, 18, punched her ticket to the French Open final. It's the first major final appearance for Gauff. She raised her arms in triumph upon securing the victory.
The moment 18-year-old @CocoGauff made her first Grand Slam final.@rolandgarros | #RolandGarrospic.twitter.com/tD88vELQt0
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 2, 2022
Following the biggest win of her career, Gauff wrote the phrase "end gun violence" on a camera.
After advancing to the biggest match of her career, Coco Gauff wrote “End gun violence” on the camera 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7O0avmtq1C
— D'Arcy Maine (@darcymaine_espn) June 2, 2022
The win makes Gauff the youngest Grand Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova in 2004. Sharapova was 17 when he made it to the final at Wimbledon. Sharapova went on to win that match.
Gauff will have a tough task in her first-ever Grand Slam final. Swiatek comes into the match, which will be played Saturday, on a 34-match winning streak.
Gauff and Swiatek have faced each other twice, with Swiatek coming out on top both times. Their most recent match came in March, when Swiatek defeated Gauff 6-3, 6-1 at the Miami Open.
