United States: US tennis player Coco Gauff has beaten Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) in the US Open women’s final, winning her first Grand Slam title. The sixth-seeded Gauff became the first American to win a US Open singles title since Sloane Stephens in 2017.
The 19-year-old Gauff energised her adoring home crowd with a fantastic comeback in the second set, maintained momentum till the end, and ultimately won the match held at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Sabalenka had an impressive start but could not keep the momentum going, and she closed her 2023 Grand Slam run, which included an Australian Open title and semifinals at Roland Garros as well as Wimbledon, on a disappointing note.
Gauff, who is from Florida, is the first American teenager to win the country’s major tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999.
“I feel like I’m in a little bit of shock at the moment. I feel like God puts you through tribulations and trials, and that makes this even sweeter. I’m thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words,” the American player shared.
“A month ago, I won a 500 title, and people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago, I won a 1,000 title, and people were saying that was the biggest it was going to get. Three weeks later, I’m here with this trophy right now. I tried my best to carry this with grace, and I’ve been doing my best. Honestly, to those who thought they were putting water in my fire, you were really adding gas to it. And now I’m really burning so bright,” the Grand Slam winner added.
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