Swiatek downs Gauff to stay unbeaten at WTA Finals

CANCUN - World number two Iga Swiatek defeated third-ranked Coco Gauff 6-0, 7-5 in a showdown of reigning Grand Slam champions on Wednesday in a group-stage match at the WTA Finals.

Poland's 22-year-old Swiatek, the French Open winner and a four-time Grand Slam champion, took only 89 minutes to dispatch 19-year-old American Gauff, who won the US Open last month.

"In the second set, obviously, it got more tight," Swiatek said. "I was happy I stayed focused. I had plenty of chances in her first service games to break back, but I knew somehow I would use one of those chances."

The victory also boosted Swiatek's chances to overtake Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka for the year-end world number one ranking at the season-ending outdoor hardcourt event in Mexico.

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur beat Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-3 in a rematch of the Wimbledon final in the night's other group-stage match.

The result meant Swiatek has not clinched a semi-final berth despite her 2-0 start.

In windy conditions, Gauff hit only six winners compared to 31 unforced errors while Swiatek hit 11 winners, half her number of unforced errors.

"I would say this match wasn't consistent, in terms of the level," Swiatek said. "So for sure adjusting to everything that happened was the most important thing."

Swiatek, a three-time Roland Garros champion and last year's US Open winner, improved to 9-1 all-time against Gauff, whose only triumph in the rivalry came in August's Cincinnati semi-finals ahead of her first major title at New York.