Dreams do come true as Gauff crowned America's tennis queen
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[September 11, 2023]
By Steve Keating
NEW YORK (Reuters) - American tennis crowned a new queen and U.S.
Open champion on Saturday as Coco Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka in the
Flushing Meadows final to claim her first Grand Slam and ascend the
throne left vacant by Serena Williams.
The first teenager to play in a U.S. Open final since Serena in 2001
there was symmetry to the moment as Gauff rallied to beat the second
seeded Belarusian 2-6 6-3 6-2 and end a six-year barren stretch for
American tennis fans, who were finally able to celebrate a homegrown
champion.
"I am so happy I could make this country proud," said Gauff as
chants of "USA, USA" rang out behind her.
American women have been on the rise in recent years moving into the
top 10 and winning tournaments but since Serena Williams played her
last match on Arthur Ashe in 2022 the U.S. has been without a
standard bearer -- until now.
Gauff, who as a young girl said she had dreamt of becoming the next
Serena Williams, is now just that the undisputed face of U.S. tennis
with many predicting she will become the world's top ranked player
one day with a trophy case packed with Grand Slam titles.
"Congratulations to US Open champion, @CocoGauff! We couldn’t be
prouder of you on and off the court - and we know the best is yet to
come," posted former U.S. President Barack Obama on social media
platform X, formerly Twitter.
Still just 19-years-old Gauff has matured under an unforgiving
sporting spotlight as player and a person.
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The finished product was on display on Saturday as Gauff defused
Sabalenka's power with speed and tenacity running down
ball-after-ball and then acknowledged her success with grace.
"That little girl, like she had the dream, but I don't know if she
fully believed it," said Gauff. "As a kid, you have so many dreams.
"As you get older sometimes it can fiddle away. I would tell her
don't lose that dream."
As impressive as Gauff is on the court she is no less so away from
tennis.
Immediately after her win Gauff's first reaction after lifting
herself off the court and wiping away tears of joy was to search the
stands for her parents, who used to bring her to New York as a young
girl to watch her idols on the same court.
The charismatic teen also possesses a sharp social awareness and
delightful sense of humour all of which are going to make her very
rich as sponsors rush to her door.
When climate activists interrupted her semi-final causing a nearly
hour delay Gauff later showed no animosity saying later she believed
that climate change was real.
The U.S. Open this year celebrated Billie Jean King and the 50th
anniversary of the fight for equal pay, Gauff playfully
acknowledging the struggle when accepting the trophy.
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Tennis - U.S. Open - Flushing Meadows, New York, United States -
September 9, 2023 Coco Gauff of the U.S. celebrates with the trophy
after winning the U.S. Open REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
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"Thank you Billie Jean for fighting for this," said
Gauff waving a $3 million winner's cheque.
Gauff has long been tipped for greatness.
A top junior she was presented the key to her city
of Delray Beach at just 14 and burst onto the world scene a year
later beating another of her idols Venus Williams at Wimbledon.
Progress as a professional has been steady but not always at a pace
some demanded.
Last year she made her Grand Slam breakthrough reaching the final of
the French Open, but losing. Then at this year's Wimbledon hit a low
with a first round loss that left her feeling like the dream had
ended for her.
"It's been difficult it's been a long journey to this point," said
Gauff. "I wasn't a fully developed player, and I still think I have
a lot of development to go at that moment.
"I think people were putting a lot of pressure on me to win.
"Now I just realize that I just need to go out there and try my
best."
Renewed focus and the return home for the hard court season brought
a change of form and motivation.
Since the Wimbledon loss Gauff has won 18 of 19 matches include U.S.
Open, Cincinnati Open and Washington.
"Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me," sixth seed Gauff
told a packed Arthur Ashe stadium that backed her from the moment
she appeared out of the tunnel. "A month ago, I won a 500 (level)
title and people said I would stop at that.
"Two weeks ago I won a 1000 title and people were saying that was
the biggest it was going to get.
"So three weeks later, I’m here with this trophy right now.
"I tried my best to carry this with grace and I have been doing my
best and honestly to those who thought they were putting water on my
fire you were really adding gas to it and now I am burning so
bright."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in New York. Editing by Michael Perry)
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