Coco Gauff overpowered defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Madrid Open singles final for the first time on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Gauff broke Swiatek's serve three times in the first set and twice in the second, cruising to a 64-minute semifinal victory over the second-ranked Swiatek at the clay-court tournament.
"The mentality that I had in the whole match was aggressive," the fourth-ranked Gauff said. "Maybe it wasn't her best level today, but I think I forced her into some awkward positions." This win marked Gauff's first on clay against Swiatek, who holds an 11-4 edge in their head-to-head history. Notably, Gauff is now 3-0 against Swiatek since the end of 2024, starting at the WTA Finals.
Swiatek had shown resilience in her previous match, recovering from a 6-0 first set loss to Madison Keys on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. However, she looked rattled on Thursday, even receiving a code violation for an audible obscenity during the match. "I couldn't really get my level up," Swiatek reflected. "Coco played good, but I think it's on me that I didn't really move well, I wasn't ready to play back the shots with heaviness, and with that kind of game, it was pretty bad." This defeat was particularly striking as it was the first time since 2019 that Swiatek won two or fewer games in a match, a stark contrast to her usual dominance.
As Gauff prepares for the final, she awaits either top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka or Elina Svitolina. The anticipation is palpable as Gauff looks to secure her first title at the Madrid Open.
In the men's quarterfinals, Casper Ruud advanced by defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5, making history as the first player born in 1990 or later to reach 30 tour-level semifinals on clay. Ruud had been 0-3 against Medvedev in their previous encounters. "I looked at our stats last night and saw he beat me on grass, outdoor hard and indoor hard. The last surface was clay, so I thought, 'Please don't make it 4-0,'" Ruud said, highlighting his determination to use the surface to his advantage. "I thought the level was pretty good from both players. I was impressed with Daniil's ability to produce power here on clay."
Ruud will next face Francisco Cerundolo, who rallied to defeat teenager Jakub Mensik 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2. Cerundolo's impressive performance included a previous victory over top-seeded Alexander Zverev, showcasing his potential as a formidable opponent.
In another quarterfinal, fifth-ranked Jack Draper defeated Matteo Arnaldi 6-0, 6-4. Arnaldi, who had made headlines by beating Novak Djokovic in the second round, faced a tough challenge against Draper, who dominated the match.
The Madrid Open has faced its share of challenges this week, including a significant disruption on Monday, April 28, 2025, when a major blackout brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill. This incident resulted in the postponement of more than 20 matches at the Caja Magica tennis complex, creating a packed schedule for the rest of the week.
As the tournament progresses, fans are eager to see how Gauff will perform in her first final, and whether Ruud can continue his remarkable run on clay. The excitement is building as the Madrid Open approaches its climax, with thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes defining this year's event.
