Coco Gauff says there's been a change in her rivalry with Iga Swiatek ahead of the Australian Open

Coco Gauff commented on her rivalry with Iga Swiatek after winning their last two matches.

The American defeated the World number two in successive contests for the first time after beating her in the United Cup final.

This backed up the 20-year-old’s victory in the round robin stage of November’s WTA Finals, before she went on to win the season-ending title.

These victories have been key for Gauff, who had won just one of her first 11 matches against Swiatek, but the momentum seems to have swung in her favour.

Coco Gauff assesses how her rivalry with Iga Swiatek has started to change

Over the course of her first 11 matches against Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff had claimed just one victory, and failed to win any sets against the Pole outside of her 2023 Cincinnati Masters win.

That is no longer the case, as Gauff has won their last two meetings against the French Open champion in straight sets.

Gauff is playing with a renewed confidence and belief in herself and her game and this has been reflected in her latest matches against Swiatek.

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During an appearance on the WTA Insider podcast, Gauff spoke about a psychological change in her rivalry with Swiatek, which has contributed significantly to her last two wins.

“Yes and no. She’s had a great head start and I don’t know if I’ll catch up. But at the end of the day I know that at this point it doesn’t feel like it’s so heavily favoured her way,” the World number three said.

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“Any day I step on the court, I can win, which maybe before, I didn’t believe that. I can’t say that I’m going to beat her every time I play her now and I also can’t say she’s going to beat me every time I play her now.

“But before I’d say definitely I felt a little bit of defeat stepping on the court but now I don’t. Now I have the ability to do it and it’s just about what happens that day. It always comes down to a few points between us.”

Is Coco Gauff the favourite to win the 2025 Australian Open?

Gauff has certainly positioned herself as the top contender for the Australian Open title.

She has lost just one match since the 2024 US Open and has won three titles in that time, including the Untied Cup.

Her all-around game is looking very solid and Gauff appears ready to challenge the World number one Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion who Rennae Stubbs thinks

“Clearly Sabalenka has let everybody know she’s the favorite going in,” the Australian told ESPN on Tuesday.

“But also Coco Gauff looks to me as equal of a favourite as I’ve seen in a Grand Slam for a while.”

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