Iga Swiatek was looking to advance to her first WTA final of the year, but suffered a shock defeat.
The world number two had produced several battling displays to keep her Madrid Open title defence alive.
Swiatek beat Alexandra Eala and Diana Shnaider in three-set wars on her way to the last eight in the Spanish capital.
There, the Pole dropped the first set 0-6, before Swiatek came through to beat Madison Keys 0-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Unable to escape from a set down for a third time this week, Swiatek lost to American star Coco Gauff in the semi-finals 1-6, 1-6.
Swiatek looked visibly upset as she suffered her worst clay court defeat in six years, as one ATP Tour star now sends her some words of encouragement.
Casper Ruud tells Iga Swiatek to keep her ‘head up’ after suffering a comprehensive defeat to Coco Gauff
Reacting to a heart-wrenching video of Swiatek struggling during a changeover, ATP star Casper Ruud sent a message to the five-time Major champion on social media.
“Hey Iga Swiatek, keep your head up,” he said.
“Like millions of people, I love watching you play. Not your day today but you inspire so many and you’ll be back stronger than ever.”
Swiatek will no doubt appreciate the Norwegian’s message, as she looks to get back to winning ways on the WTA Tour.
Thursday was a good day for Ruud, who advanced to the semi-finals in Madrid with a convincing 6-3, 7-5 win over Daniil Medvedev.
The world number 15 has yet to win a title at the Masters 1000 level despite reaching two previous finals, but looks to be in with a good chance of doing so at this year’s Madrid Open.
Ruud will take on Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the last four, whom he has beaten in their previous two clay court encounters.
- 2024 Olympics 3R – Casper Ruud beat Francisco Cerundolo, 6-3, 6-4
- 2023 Italian Open QF – Casper Ruud beat Francisco Cerundolo, 7-6, 6-4
It is Cerundolo, however, who leads the head-to-head, 5-3, having enjoyed success against Ruud over recent years.
The pair will battle it out for a place in the Madrid Open final on Friday, May 2.
Iga Swiatek says ‘everything collapsed’ against Coco Gauff and explains the problem she’s struggling with
Speaking to the media after the match, Swiatek reflected on her disappointing Madrid Open exit.
“I couldn’t really get my level up, Coco [Gauff] played good but you know, it’s on me that I didn’t really move well, I wasn’t ready to play back these shots with heaviness and with that kind of game, yeah it was pretty bad,” she said.
“I haven’t been moving well, and the tennis was also on and off for most of the tournament. I wasn’t really sure what I had in my toolbox, I didn’t even have a plan B because nothing was working today.
“I didn’t play well even in the matches that I won.”
Swiatek explained what happened against Gauff and revealed the problem she’s been struggling with for ‘weeks’.
“Today, everything kind of collapsed, I feel like I wasn’t even in the right place with my feet before the shots,” she said.
“I wish I could have moved better because I think that would get me an opportunity to bounce back, because usually this is what happens, but today I didn’t move well.
“You feel heavy, you’re forcing everything instead of it going by intuition and by itself, because I know how I can move, and usually I don’t have to think about it much.
“But for the last weeks, it hasn’t been easy, I’ve been forcing myself to go lower, to be more precise with my feet because it hasn’t been going by itself, so hopefully, one day it’s going to click, but now I’m not expecting anything.
“I’m just going to try and work on that.”
Swiatek won’t have much time to practise ahead of her return to action at the Italian Open, a tournament she won last year.
The second clay court WTA 1000 event of the year begins in Rome on Monday, May 5.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
