Coco Gauff Pushed By Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Nerves are always a part of the equation, no matter how long you have been playing. It is often the thought of potentially falling flat on your face. Then again, it may be the fear of the ranking points you will lose if you lose the match. Whatever the cause, it is grounded in the belief and patterns of thinking of each player. The first set was a battle for supremacy. There were five breaks in total with the American finally getting the crucial break. I have always believed that when you are tense, winning the first set relaxes you. Gauff proved that when she relaxed and played much better in set two. She won 7-5, 6-2. Yet, she will have to take it up a notch against the defending champion if she wants a chance to win the title.
Embed from Getty ImagesCoco Gauff To Battle Defending Champion
[6] Coco Gauff has yet to figure out the riddle called [1] Iga Swiatek. In their very first encounter in 2021, there was one competitive set. Since then, Gauff has been woefully ineffective against the number one ranked player. It becomes a mental battle when you have lost so many times to a player, especially when they have been such lopsided losses. Gauff has never won a set against Swiatek.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis Quarterfinal Will Test Gauff’s Growth
Unfortunately for Coco Gauff, she gets to play the number one ranked player in the quarterfinals and if she loses, her ranking will potentially drop. However, I do not think Gauff is concerned with the ranking as much as she is concerned about finding a way to defeat the Pole. I will confess, I have never watched her play a complete match against Iga. What I noticed in the time that I watched is that she was not playing her game. Swiatek yanked her around the court in total control. Thus, the first thing the American needs to do is play her game.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Will Coco Gauff finally figure out a way to defeat Iga Swiatek?
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