By Milcah Tanimu
In a thrilling showdown on Saturday, 19-year-old American sensation Coco Gauff rallied from a set down to clinch her inaugural Grand Slam title at the US Open. Facing off against Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff displayed unwavering determination on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, ultimately triumphing 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a riveting match that spanned 2 hours and 6 minutes. This victory marks a fairy-tale resurgence in Gauff’s season.
As the sixth seed hailing from Florida, Gauff entered the final as the presumed underdog against the formidable second seed Sabalenka, set to ascend to the world number one ranking in the forthcoming week. Yet, both players grappled with a series of unforced errors in a closely-contested final witnessed by a record-breaking audience of 28,143. When the pressure peaked, it was Gauff who maintained her composure, securing a well-deserved triumph.
This win signifies a spectacular rebound for Gauff, who experienced heartbreak with an early exit at Wimbledon in July. Nevertheless, she rallied to claim titles in Washington and Cincinnati before securing the most significant victory of her career. This achievement comes on the heels of a devastating loss in her debut Grand Slam final at the French Open last year.
Gauff, brimming with elation, expressed, “It means so much to me… I feel like I’m a little bit in shock in this moment. That French Open loss (last year) was a heartbreak for me. This makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine.”
Joining the ranks of Tracy Austin and Serena Williams, Gauff becomes the third American teenage champion at the US Open. She also took the opportunity in her victory speech to acknowledge those who may have doubted her talent, humorously remarking, “Honestly thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me. To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, they were putting gas on my fire and I’m burning so bright right now.”
Conversely, Sabalenka attributed her defeat to self-inflicted errors, acknowledging that, at times, she was contending more with herself than her opponent.