Richard Pagliaro | @tennis_now | Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Image source: Andy Cheung/Getty
Coco Gofu She spent a lot of time looking up Iga Swiatek in rankings and in court.
When Goff faced tomorrow’s Mutua Madrid Open semifinals defending Madrid champion Swiatek, she said she would carry more in court than a head squash racquet bag – she would have mastered her self-confidence in the last two meetings.
Overall, Swiatek, ranked No. 2, dominated Gauff, winning 11 of 14 meetings, including sweeping all 10 sets they played on Clay. In fact, Gauff won more than five games in a single clay game in the competition, which won the game with a 7-6 (3) and 6-3 loss in the 2021 Roma semi-finals.
Despite such a mean record, Goff said she was confident in getting into their latest encounter as she had a blunt victory in her last two meetings. And because she thinks she has learned to play the opponent rather than the record of the Roland Garros championship who dominates like she did in the past.
“I think it’s just a belief [is the difference]”Goff told the media today in Madrid after beating Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-1. “At the beginning of our game, I mean, she was the top player, I felt like I might have written myself before the game, and obviously I believe I have a lot of faith.
“Yes, she’s a tough opponent, yes, I don’t think of that person in person anymore. I mean, maybe I did it at the beginning. Now, I just see it every time as a new game, a new opportunity. Yes, I’ll go there with confidence and I believe I have a game to win.”
Of course, Swiatek continued to hit Gauff’s weaker forehand wing, directing their clay court clashes, including a 6-1, 6-3 sweep in the 2022 Roland Garros final. Swiatek is also the best clay field promoter in the game, which has slapped one of the biggest weapons Gauff has in the rest of the world, her shocking speed and court reports.
Both Grand Slam champions are eager for tomorrow’s success. Swiatek stopped Jasmine Paolini’s first final since winning Roland Garros last June.
The 21-year-old Gauff has bid for her first final since winning the WTA final last November, beating U.S. Open finalist Jessica Pegula, second-place Swiatek, first-place Aryna Sabalenka and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, her biggest title since the US opens in 2023.
Today, Australian Open champion Madison Keys tore Swiatek’s return, pole stuffing her first bagel into the first bagel when the pole shut her out in the first set. Still, Swiatek showed elasticity, winning 0-6, 6-3, 6-2, which led her to five consecutive wins to beat the Key.
One question in tomorrow’s semi-finals: Can Goff attack Swiatek Second Servih WTIH, a successful player like Andreeva, who beat the second seed back-to-back in Dubai and India’s Wells, and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who was 6-0 Lifetime vs. Polet vs. Polet vs. Polet vs.
Or is Gauff turning to the tactics she used to use against Swiatek in the past, and Swiatek’s tactics were high, heavy Topspin forehanded toward Roland Garros Champ’s backhand wing, trying to cause backhand communication?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5j5v-sic5i
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaysm-f8yn4
Throughout Madrid, Goff has been full of confidence.
Facing Andreeva today, the 2023 U.S. Open champion won 22 points in 26 first place, only two times. In 16 rounds, against Olympic gold medal champion Belinda Bencic, Gauff also won 22 points in 26 first games, facing only one breakthrough point.
After ousting Andreeva today, Gauff said she likes the chance against anyone if she can play at this lofty level.
“I feel like I always feel like I’m very likely to be against anyone,” Goff told the media in Madrid. “If I go to the game and think I don’t, then I’ve lost the game.
“No, I don’t follow these collections [vs. Swiatek] Or anything else, because at the end of the day, it’s a new week, a new time. I lost the first set of this game 6-0 and everyone likes it, oh, she will lose the next round or anything else.
“So it’s just tennis, like, you lose, you reset, you start again. Yes, I hope she plays some great tennis, maybe her best tennis, I’ll try to play my best tennis.”
