The American world number three felt the pressure from her Polish opponent, double-faulting four times in a row during the second set on Wednesday in Cancun.

The errors cost Gauff dearly as she gifted the upper hand to Swiatek.

Gauff could not mount the comeback as Swiatek secured the win 7-5 6-0 as she hopes to take back the world number one crown from Aryna Sabalenka.

"In the second set, obviously, it got more tight," Swiatek told reporters afterwards.

"I was happy I stayed focused. I had plenty of chances in her first service games to break back, but I knew somehow I would use one of those chances."

"I would say this match wasn't consistent, in terms of the level. So for sure, adjusting to everything that happened was the most important thing. It took me a while because I was a break down in the second set.

"I'm happy that I could actually problem solve a little the way to win these last games. And the key was, maybe being confident and mentally not focusing on the score, but really just sticking with the plan that worked in the first set."

The win means she is the first female player to record 65 or more tour-level wins in back-to-back seasons in nearly two decades.

Swiatek is the only player to record 65 wins in 2023 with Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz with 64 and 63 wins respectively.

She will take on Ons Jabeur in her final group match on Friday, Jabeur having beaten Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 6-3.

It was the first game between the pair since the Wimbledon final, Jabeur saving six of seven break points in the first set.

Jabeur took the second set after she broke Vondrousova at 3-3 and again after holding serve to set up a crucial match against Swiatek.

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