It seemed as if Coco Gauff’s magical run at this year’s U.S. Open would come to a disheartening end on Saturday afternoon at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens.
After losing the first set to No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in front of a sold out and energized crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 19-year-old, playing in her second career Grand Slam final, found herself down 1-0 in the second set and facing a 40-15 deficit in game 2.
Listening stoically to the voices coming from her coaches in a box not far from the court, Gauff frustratingly replied “I’m trying,” ostensibly at a loss for solutions on how to break the code Sabalenka had written.
It was then that Gauff, the No. 6 seed, reached deep into her soul and made the determination she would not lose. What came afterwards was a master class in resilience, application of skill, and indomitable spirit.
Gauff went on to defeat Sabalenka, dominating her gifted opponent from Belarus in the final set, and capturing her first major, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, in a venue where as a young girl she cheered on Venus and Serena Williams in the stands with her father Corey.
Corey and his wife, Candi Gauff, shared an emotional embrace with their precocious daughter in the stands. Joining Tracy Austin (1979) and Serena Williams (1999), the Atlanta-born star became only the third American teenager to win the U.S. Open.
At her post-match press conference, Gauff paid homage to the Williams sisters.
“I mean, they’re the reason why I have this trophy today, to be honest,” she said. “They have allowed me to believe in this dream. Growing up, there weren’t too many Black tennis players dominating the sport. It was literally, at that time when I was younger, it was just them that I can remember.
“Obviously more came because of their legacy, so it made the dream more believable. But all the things that they had to go through, they made it easier for someone like me to do this.”
As for Sabalenka, she moved up to the world’s No. 1 women’s player in the rankings by virtue of making it to the finals. Gauff moved up to No. 3 in singles and No. 1 in doubles with her partner, American Jessica Pegula.
Aryna Sabalenka is my favorite player. I love watching her and want to see her again on the top of the world’s ranking. For sure Iga Swiatek is amazing player, but Sabalenka is even better.