How Iga Swiatek can snatch Coco Gauff's No. 2 seeding at US Open 2025 and World No. 2 spot after American's Cincinnati Open shocker

Coco Gauff's loss could prove to be Iga Swiatek's gain. The American's campaign at the Cincinnati Open 2025 came to an end with a loss to fellow top 10 player Jasmine Paolini. She blew a one-set lead during their quarterfinal contest to lose the match 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Her exit could have significant implications for her as well as her rival Swiatek at the upcoming US Open.

Had Gauff won her match against Paolini, she would've held on to her World No. 2 spot and assured herself of being seeded second at the US Open. However, her exit has given Swiatek a slim window to surpass her in the rankings and claim the position of the second seed for herself. Whoever is the second seed will get to avoid World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka until the final in New York.

Gauff currently has 7,669 points and once the rankings are updated next week with the points from the Cincinnati Open, she will have 7,874 points. Swiatek, ranked No. 3 at the moment, has 6,933 points to her name. By reaching the semifinals in Cincinnati, she will have at least 7,323 points in next week's rankings.

Swiatek needs to win the title in order to pip Gauff as the World No. 2. Winning the title would leave her with 7,933 points, enough to race past the American and become the second seed at the US Open. She has been in dominant form at the Cincinnati Open, so she certainly has a strong chance of accomplishing this.

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Iga Swiatek gunning to reach her maiden Cincinnati Open final

Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Iga Swiatek is through to the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open 2025 without dropping a set. She received a first-round bye, and then beat Anastasia Potapova in the second round. A walkover from 25th seed Marta Kostyuk put her in the fourth round, where she beat Sorana Cirstea.

Swiatek scored a 6-3, 6-4 win over 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals to set up a semifinal showdown against familiar foe Elena Rybakina. The latter ousted defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in her quarterfinal match.

Swiatek leads their rivalry 5-4, and has won their last three matches, all of which took place this year. Their most recent meeting happened at the French Open, in which the Pole staged a comeback to keep her title defense alive. After losing in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open for the past two years, Swiatek will be keen to clear the hurdle this time.