Defending champion Iga Swiatek’s journey at the 2024 WTA Finals came to a surprising end on Thursday after Barbora Krejcikova secured a spot in the tournament’s semifinals by defeating Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4. This critical victory not only advanced Krejcikova but also eliminated Swiatek, despite the Pole’s earlier impressive 6-1, 6-0 win over Daria Kasatkina.

Swiatek’s chances of advancing depended on the outcome of Krejcikova’s match against Gauff. Although Swiatek dominated Kasatkina—who was a last-minute replacement for the injured Jessica Pegula—she needed Gauff to win for a path to the semifinals. Krejcikova’s gritty performance dashed Swiatek’s hopes, propelling her to the next stage instead. Krejcikova topped the group thanks to a superior sets percentage in the three-way tie among Swiatek, Gauff, and herself.

Krejcikova’s advancement marks a high point in an otherwise mixed season. Known for her incredible Wimbledon victory earlier this year, Krejcikova showed renewed resilience in Riyadh, saving 11 of 12 break points against Gauff and bouncing back strongly after an initial group-stage loss to Swiatek.

Reflecting on her performance, Krejcikova expressed her delight: “Definitely this is a big win for me. I’m really happy with the way that I played. Being able to qualify for the Finals and also reaching the semifinals, it’s something unimaginable before this tournament. I’m very proud of myself and I’m looking forward to the new challenges.”

Krejcikova will face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals, while Gauff, who topped her pool, will play world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. As the WTA Finals enter the last stretch, Krejcikova’s resolve and Swiatek’s unexpected exit add drama to an already thrilling tournament.

Iga Swiatek in 2024

Now ranked no.2, the Pole played her last match on the 7^th of November when she overcame world no.9 Darya Kasatkina 6-1 6-0 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).

Currently, during this season Iga achieved a composed 61-9 match record. Swiatek clinched 6 titles in 2024 in Australia, Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome and French Open.

Coco Gauff in 2024

Ranked no.3, Coco played her last match on the 7^th of November when she capitulated to world no.13 Barbora Krejcikova 7-5 6-4 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).

Currently, during this season the American has achieved a compiled 52-17 record. The American has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and Beijing.

Coco Gauff will play the world no.222 Sinja Kraus in the . In the past, they have never competed against each other up to now in top tournaments.

Coco clinched 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and Beijing.

Coco won 8 titles in her career: 6 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on indoor courts. (See the list of her titles)

Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff played each other 13 times. Their current head to head is 11-2 for Swiatek. Before, the last time they played each other, Coco Gauff won 6-3 6-4 in the round robin in Riyadh (WTA Finals) on the 5^th of November 2024.

You can see them in action in the following highlights.

Barbora Krejcikova in 2024

Now ranked no.13, Krejcikova played her last match on the 7^th of November when she beat world no.3 Cori Gauff 7-5 6-4 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).

Currently, during this season Barbora has a 21-15 record. Krejcikova conquered 1 title in Wimbledon.

Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Barbora Krejcikova

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Iga Swiatek in 2024

At the moment ranked no.2, the Pole played her last match on the 7^th of November when she overcame world no.9 Darya Kasatkina 6-1 6-0 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).

At present, during this year the Pole has achieved a 61-9 record. Swiatek conquered 6 titles in 2024 in Australia, Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome and French Open.

Coco Gauff in 2024

Now the world no.3, the American played her last match on the 7^th of November when she was overcome by world no.13 Barbora Krejcikova 7-5 6-4 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).

During this season the American has a 52-17 record. Gauff conquered 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and Beijing.

Coco Gauff will come up against the world no.222 Sinja Kraus in the . In the past, they have never competed against each other till now in top competitions.

Gauff clinched 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and Beijing.

Gauff won 8 titles in her career: 6 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on indoor courts. (See the list of her titles)

Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff played each other 13 times. The head to head is 11-2 for Swiatek. Previously, the last time they squared off, Coco Gauff won 6-3 6-4 in the round robin in Riyadh (WTA Finals) on the 5^th of November 2024.

Here are the highlights.

Barbora Krejcikova in 2024

Now ranked no.13, Barbora played her last match on the 7^th of November when she overcame world no.3 Cori Gauff 7-5 6-4 in the round robin in Riyadh (draw).

This season Krejcikova has a 21-15 win-loss record. Barbora conquered 1 title in Wimbledon.

Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Barbora Krejcikova

Embed from Getty Images