The match lasted an hour and 48 minutes, demonstrating Gauff’s efforts to hang in there but ultimately it was a straight-sets triumph for the world No 1, and although the American did cut down her double faults that had strewn her game this tournament, they still crept in at crucial times.
Swiatek, ranked No 1, will face the winner of the match between American Danielle Collins, the No 13 seed, and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, next.
Earlier in the tournament, the 22-year-old Pole won against American qualifier Bernarda Pera (6-0, 6-2), Kazakh Yulia Putintseva (6-3, 6-4), German Angelique Kerber (7-5, 6-3) and American Madison Keys, the No 18 seed (6-1, 6-3).
Gauff, ranked No 3, beat Pole Magdalena Frech (6-3, 6-3), Romanian lucky loser Jaqueline Cristian (6-1, 0-6, 6-3), Spaniard Paula Badosa (5-7, 6-4, 6-1) and Chinese Qinwen Zheng, the No 7 seed (7-6 (4), 6-1) in the previous rounds of the Rome tournament.
Roma WTA 1000, other semi-final result (Foro Italico, clay, USD 5.509.771):
- Danielle Collins vs. Aryna Sabalenka
