Coco Gauff will face world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in an exciting clash at the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh on Tuesday, as the American star looks to build on her solid form.

World No. 3 Gauff started the championships’ group stage with a 6-3, 6-2 win over fellow American Jessica Pegula. The 20-year-old has been in fine form lately, winning 10 of her last 11 matches, including a title in Beijing and a semifinal appearance in Wuhan.

ForbesInjured Naomi Osaka Pulls Out Of BJK Cup Finals To End Her 2024 SeasonBy Manasi Pathak

Swiatek, on the other hand, has lacked playing time.

She returned to the court after two months when she defeated Barbora Krejcikova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the opening fixture. The Pole, who underwent a high-profile coaching change, struggled against her Czech opponent before finding her rhythm in a third-set comeback.

“I’ve had a little bit more matches recently than maybe she [Swiatek] has so that could affect [the outcome],” Gauff told reporters after victory over Pegula.

Head-To-Head Record

While recent form shows Gauff is the favorite, the head-to-head records say otherwise.

Gauff has lost 11 of 12 matches against the five-time Grand Slam champion and Swiatek hasn’t beaten anyone more. The pair last met at the 2024 French Open semifinals, where Swiatek won 6-2, 6-4.

ForbesDanielle Collins Reveals Fertility Struggles Behind Her Decision To Return To Tennis In 2025By Manasi Pathak

“Always playing her is tough,” Gauff said. “I think if I just play my game, I’ll just try to do that and hopefully come out with a win,” she added, explaining her plan for Tuesday’s clash.

Swiatek, who is hoping to reclaim the No. 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka, registered five of her victories over Gauff on the clay courts of Rome and Paris – her preferred surface.

With the WTA Finals being played on the hard courts in the Saudi Arabian capital, fans could expect a different kind of contest.

“Previous times I played her this year was on clay, so obviously it’s going to be a different match on hard court,” Gauff said. “I hope for a different result than the previous two times.”

Tough Task For Gauff

Gauff and Swiatek are in the Orange group at the tournament alongside Krejcikova and Pegula. The other group, called Purple, features Sabalenka, Jasmine Paolini, Qinwen Zheng and Elena Rybakina.

If Gauff beats Swiatek on Tuesday, it would be her 52nd win in WTA events this year, her best total in a single season.

But Gauff’s task won’t be easy as Swiatek boasts a stellar record at the WTA Finals.

According to the WTA website, going back to last year’s title, Swiatek has won six consecutive matches — only Serena Williams (16) and Elina Svitolina (10) have won more since the round-robin format returned in 2003. Additionally, only Serena and Justine Henin posted a better rate of winning than Swiatek’s 77 per cent.

Gauff vs Swiatek is scheduled for 3:30 pm local time / 7:30 am ET. Viewers in the United States can watch the match on the Tennis Channel app.

A straight sets win will send Gauff through to the semifinals. If Gauff and Pegula win, Gauff will advance as the group winner and Krejcikova will be eliminated.

If Swiatek and Krejcikova win, Swiatek will progress as the group winner and Pegula will be knocked out.