Story byPhoto by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesLiam McMillenSat, January 10, 2026 at 5:44 PM UTC·2 min readIn recent seasons, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have become the defining figures on the ATP Tour, sharing eight Grand Slam titles over that stretch. The two have been nearly unbeatable in tournaments where they’ve both featured since Andrey Rublev’s win at the 2024 Madrid Open. On the women’s side, while Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff haven’t reached that level of dominance, their rivalry has still been a major storyline. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLooking ahead to the United Cup, Gauff and Swiatek are set to face off again, mirroring what Sinner and Alcaraz are doing ahead of this year’s Australian Open. Gauff and Swiatek to meet for 16th time in United Cup semi-finalPhoto by Dan Istitene/Getty ImagesTheir upcoming clash will be their 16th on the WTA Tour, matching the number of times Alcaraz and Sinner have faced off, with their own 16th meeting taking place at the ATP Finals. Swiatek is just 24 years old, while Gauff is only 21, which makes it even more impressive how often they’ve crossed paths already in their careers. Head-to-head record between Coco Gauff and Iga SwiatekGauff has struggled against Swiatek in their previous meetings, having only won four of their 15 meetings on tour. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, recent history dictates that Gauff is beginning to understand exactly how to beat the Polish world number two. The American’s only other win against Swiatek came at the 2023 Cincinnati Open, when Gauff beat the Pole in three sets. Their only two meetings at a Grand Slam have both come at Roland Garros, which went the way of Swiatek. Swiatek has also picked up wins against Gauff in Rome, Miami, San Diego, Dubai, Beijing, and the WTA Finals. READ MORE: Coco Gauff shares her immediate thoughts after beating Iga Swiatek at the United Cup.
