And just like that, Coco Gauff wins her first US Open Grand Slam Title!
Coco Gauff won the US Open in epic fashion.
Match point đ pic.twitter.com/QMAwRod7B7
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2023
Everyone who was anyone was in the audience to watch the world’s ranked number 10 singles player, Gauff, defeat the worlds ranked number 2 player, Aryna Sabalenka.
In a dramatic finish, the 19-year-old grabbed victory 2-6, 3-6, 6-2.
âI feel like Iâm in shock at this moment,â an emotional Gauff said in a post-game interview after her win. âGod puts you through tribulations and trials, and this makes this moment sweeter than I would have imagined.â
Gauff won the finals on her home turf against the at the Belarusian star at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. With her win, Gauff has become the first American teenager to win the US Open since tennis legend, Serena Williams took home the prize in 1999.
No shortage of speed and power!
This women's final has been good early đ pic.twitter.com/omk73IoV7l
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2023
Sabalenka congratulated her opponent, saying, âI hope we play in many more finals.â After their final match, the 25-year-old went on to call Gauff âamazing.â
Although she did not win the match, Sabalenka, as of Monday, will go on to officially rise to the number 1 position in the WTA singles ranking.
Gauff also took a moment to congratulate Sabalenka on a well-played match. The tennis prodigy said, âAryna is an incredible player.â She continued, acknowledging Sabalenka’s new ranking, âCongratulations on the no. 1 ranking, itâs well deserved.â
In addition to winning her first US Open Grand Slam Title, the Florida-native has another accolade waiting for her as well on Monday. On Monday, she and Jessica Pegula âwill become the new co-ranked WTA World No. 1 doubles playersâ since 2012.
If you haven’t heard how it all began for this talented athlete, Gauff began playing tennis at the age of six.
In a quote found in her official bio, Gauff recalled, âI wasnât much of a team person. I loved tennis. I was so-so about it in the beginning because when I was younger I didnât want to practice at all. I just wanted to play with my friends. When I turned eight, that was when I played âLittle Moâ and after that I decided to do that for the rest of my life.â
If you remember, it was Gauff’s defeat of Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon in 2019 that put her on everyone’s radar. At the time, she was only 15-years-old.
Congratulations, Coco! The hard work and perseverance paid off. We cannot wait to see you repeat and bring home the title next year!
Photo Credit(s)/Featured Image: US Open Twitter; US Open Instagram; Coco Gauff Instagram
