‘If You Can’t Beat Her, Hit Her’ – 19-Year-Old ‘Princess’ Coco Gauff’s Short-Lived ‘Revenge’ Against World no.1 Iga Swiatek at French Open Leaves Tennis World in Splits

In a thrilling quarterfinal clash at the 2023 French Open, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff provided fans with both exceptional tennis and an unexpected moment that caught everyone’s attention. While Swiatek secured her spot in the semifinals with a swift 1 hour, 28 minutes long–6-4, 6-2 victory, it was a particular shot that created a buzz among spectators. For the second straight year, the 19-year-old American fell to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the French Open.

During the match, Gauff inadvertently hit a ball that struck Swiatek on her thigh. However, the World No. 1 remained composed and unfazed by the incident, displaying remarkable sportsmanship. Swiatek’s response to the incident in her post-match press conference showcased her positive attitude.

Iga Swiatek spoke about Coco Gauff in the post-match interview

Swiatek called Gauff a nice person and claimed that she definitely wouldn’t have meant to hit her. “Yeah, it is. I don’t really know if that was her only option or not, but I know Coco is a nice person, and she wouldn’t mean it. Nothing personal. It happens,” the Pole said.

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Although Swiatek brushed off the incident very easily, fans on Twitter had a field day with the incident, leaving the world of tennis in stitches. Here are some fan reactions to the incident.

Swiatek and Haddad Maia set for a rematch: Anticipating a thrilling SF

Iga Swiatek and Beatriz Haddad Maia are about to face each other once again, with Haddad Maia emerging victorious in their previous encounter at the 2022 National Bank Open with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win in the third round. Reflecting on the upcoming match, Swiatek praised Haddad Maia’s tenacity, describing her as a fighter.

“Well, for sure she’s the fighter, and she showed even today that she’s fighting until the last ball. It pays off. For sure you have to kind of be ready even when you feel like you’re leading or whatever. You have to play every point 100%,” Iga Swiatek said.

“We played in Toronto, and I would say actually this was one of the matches that had similar conditions in terms of the wind. It was also windy that day. Obviously surface is different, so we’ll see. I’ve never played against her on clay. Again, as before any other match, I will kind of focus on myself and what I want to do on court,” she added.

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The winner of the match between Swiatek and Haddad Maia will advance to the finals of the French Open 2023 women’s singles.