Well, that wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. Coco Gauff didn’t just beat Iga Świątek in Madrid — she steamrolled her. In a jaw-dropping semifinal clash, Gauff delivered one of the most dominant performances of her career, dismantling the world No. 1, 6-1, 6-2, to punch her ticket to the Madrid Open final. Yes, that Iga Świątek — queen of clay, three-time French Open champ, and certified nightmare on this surface.
This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Gauff came out blazing, matching Świątek’s topspin with laser-precise counterpunching and catching the Pole completely off-guard. Her serve was dialed in, her forehand was firing, and most shocking of all — she made Świątek look rattled. Rattled!
It’s one of the heaviest defeats Świątek has suffered in her WTA career, and definitely her worst on clay in years. The last time she looked this out of sorts on the dirt, she hadn’t even cracked the top 50. Gauff, meanwhile, looked like a player on a mission — ruthless, focused, and absolutely unbothered by the towering reputation on the other side of the net.
For Gauff, this marks her first final in Madrid and yet another step toward elite-level clay dominance. For Świątek? It’s back to the drawing board. If this is a preview of what’s to come at Roland Garros, buckle up. There’s a new queen eyeing the clay throne.