Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek reignited one of tennis’ defining rivalries at the 2026 United Cup, and while the American claimed the headline singles win, Poland ultimately halted the United States’ title defense.
The semifinal clash at Sydney‘s Ken Rosewall Arena was a rematch of last year’s final, where the Americans had lifted the trophy.
But, this time Poland flipped the script and advanced to the championship tie.
Gauff set the tone early, defeating Swiatek 6-4, 6-2 in the opening women’s singles, continuing her recent surge in the matchup and underlining her growing comfort against the former world No. 1.
“I didn’t let the opportunities that I had on the first two match points get away from me,” Gauff said. “She played well. Maybe there was one error on the backhand.
“But after that Iga Swiatek played the better tennis. But I knew how I was playing the whole match that I’d get it done.”
Despite the loss, the tournament proved valuable for Gauff, who collected significant ranking points and prize money, reinforcing her position among the WTA‘s elite early in the 2026 season.
Gauff won three of her four singles matches across the event, earning 150 ranking points, which helped her reclaim the world No. 3 ranking after briefly slipping to fourth the prior week.
Her financial haul was equally notable, as participation fees, match wins, mixed doubles victories, and team bonuses combined to total $586,800 for the two-week competition.
What did Swiatek say about Coco Gauff?
The rivalry’s balance has shifted sharply over the past year, after Swiatek once dominated the head-to-head, building an 11-1 record that often left Gauff searching for solutions.
That dynamic began to change at the 2024 WTA Finals, where Gauff stunned Swiatek in straight sets, a result that sparked a run of confidence and tactical clarity for the American.
Since then, Gauff has beaten Swiatek four straight times, all without dropping a set, trimming the overall head-to-head to 11-5 and transforming the matchup into a genuine rivalry.
“I feel like Coco Gauff has improved stuff,” Swiatek said. “It’s quite visible. The matches we played couple years back where most of them were kind of one-sided. I feel like that’s it.
“She’s also growing in age, more experienced as well. So yeah, she’s a top player for many years now, even though she started with she was, like, 16, much earlier than most of us do.
“Yeah, congrats to her basically.”
While Poland earned the team victory, the semifinal once again highlighted how Gauff and Swiatek continue to push each other, ensuring their rivalry remains central to the women’s game in 2026.
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