<p>Paris, June 7 (IANS) Defending champion and World No.1 Iga Swiatek defeated American teen sensation Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 in straight sets to sail into the semifinal of the French Open, here on Wednesday.<br /><br />"Step by step, another SF, thank you Paris," wrote Swiatek on the camera lens following her victory.<br /><br />In a rematch of the last year's French Open final, Swiatek maintained her undefeated record against Coco Gauff as she improved her head-to-head against the American to 7-0 with her 1-hour and 28-minute victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.<br /><br />The 22-year-old Pole has now won her last 12 matches on the clay courts of Paris. Her career win-loss record at Roland Garros improved to 26-2 with her latest win over American teenager Gauff.<br /><br />She also became the first woman to win 12 consecutive main-draw matches at Roland Garros since Serena Williams won 13 straight between 2015 and 2016.<br /><br />Swiatek opened up a 3-1 lead but Gauff pegged her back. But, a break to love in game 10 has given Swiatek a 6-4 advantage on Gauff after 51 minutes of play.<br /><br />In the second set, Swiatek prevented Gauff from taking an early lead by fending off three break points during a gritty hold for 2-1. Swiatek cracked the set open when she broke for 4-2, and the Pole held on from there to claim another triumph over Gauff.<br /><br />In the semifinals, she will face No.14 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, who overcame No.7 seed Ons Jabeur earlier, becoming the first Brazilian woman to reach the Roland-Garros semi-finals in the Open Era --Maria Bueno reached semis here in 1966 -- and the first to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since Bueno in 1968 (US Open).<br /><br />Swiatek still has a chance to keep the World No.1 ranking coming out of Paris, despite defending 2000 ranking points and No.2 Aryna Sabalenka hot on her heels.<br /><br />Since Sabalenka has reached the semifinals, Swiatek needs to beat Haddad Maia and reach the final to have a chance of staying at No.1. If Sabalenka reaches the final, Swiatek could hold on to No.1 only by winning the title.<br /><br /><strong>(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)</strong></p>
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