The tennis season might be winding down, but the excitement is still running high. Fans are eagerly awaiting one of the most thrilling semifinal clashes yet—Coco Gauff versus Aryna Sabalenka. The matchup in Wuhan promises to be a high-octane showdown, with both players bringing their A-game to the court. But if you think only Sabalenka is feeling the heat, think again.

Both Gauff and Sabalenka are fresh off some dominant victories. While the Belarusian star won the final grand slam of the year at the US Open, Gauff was able to overcome his poor form, as she bounced back at the China Open to clinch the title. Now, the two players are gearing up to face each other and the buzz for the match is palpable. However, Sabalenka revealed that she has her plan ready for her opponent.

Speaking to the press after defeating Magdalena Fręch in the quarterfinals by 6-1, 6-2, Sabalenka revealed her excitement for the match against Gauff. “We had a lot of great, big matches, great fights. I’m really looking forward to always enjoying playing against her,” she said. When quizzed about what she is planning to outshine her in-form opponent, Sabalenka revealed, “Yeah, Yeah, I think the main thing is, once again, focus on myself, focus on my footwork, go to the net, finish the point over there.” Continuing further, the Belarusian highlighted that she would try to use the factors that helped her win against Gauff in their past encounters. 

“On this slow surface, you have to go there. You have to be brave enough and finish the point there. I think that’s the main plan. It worked really well in our last meeting, so I’ll just stick to the plan. I’ll try to put as much pressure as possible on her,” Sabalenka further added. The last match that Gauff and Sabalenka played against each other was on the hardcourts at the Australian Open this year. It was the Belarusian who prevailed against the American youngster in straight sets 7-6(2), 6-4. However, based on stats, Gauff has an edge going into this encounter.

The American sensation has won 4 matches against Sabalenka in their 7 encounters. Besides, she has not lost a single set in 8 of her last 9 matches. The 20-year-old also won the China Open title where Sabalenka could advance only to the quarterfinals.

And Sabalenka is wary of Gauff’s abilities. She has always rated the American’s game highly and has often heaped praises on Gauff. 

When Aryna Sabalenka praised Coco Gauff despite defeating her

Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have given some enthralling moments to the tennis community. While they have depicted intense competitive spirit on courts, they have also heaped praises on each other and a similar situation was seen at the Australian Open. Despite defeating her American counterpart at the first Grand Slam of the year, Sabalenka expressed high regard for her. 

Speaking after the match, the Belarusian said, “She’s (Gauff) an incredible player. I really enjoy playing her. Win or lose, it’s always great matches. She’s a great player.” Continuing further, she added, “I really hope that in the future we’re going to play many more finals and I mean hopefully I’m going to win all of them!” she said with laughter. “I really enjoy playing her.”

It will be interesting to see whether Sabalenka overcomes Gauff as they meet each other on Saturday or Gauff is able to increase her head-to-head tally even further. Well, only time will tell but what remains certain is an intense showdown between these two.