Gauff beat soon-to-be No. 1 Sabalenka of Belarus in New York City to win one of tennis’ most prized trophies.
Coco Gauff triumphed in the U.S. Open women’s final, defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) to claim one of tennis’ most coveted titles. At just 19 years old, Gauff became the latest Black American woman to make a historic mark on the sport.
In a post-match interview, Gauff shared her mental approach, stating, “I just knew if I didn’t give it my all, I had no shot at winning.” She acknowledged Sabalenka’s remarkable achievement of reaching the world No. 1 ranking and praised her opponent’s skill. Despite being down a set, Gauff displayed incredible resilience, refusing to be intimidated by Sabalenka, who was poised to dominate.
Commentators were quick to praise Gauff’s mental toughness, with Cliff Drysdale noting that it looked like Sabalenka was about to run away with the match, but Gauff held her ground. Gauff’s steady play and patience paid off when she tied the match at one set each, using an inside-out forehand error from Sabalenka to capitalize on her opening.
In the third set, Gauff surged ahead with a dominant performance, securing the win with a passing shot that left Sabalenka unable to respond. “Coco lifted her game to a higher level than we’ve ever seen,” said tennis legend Chris Evert, underscoring the depth of Gauff’s performance.
With her first Grand Slam victory, Gauff solidified her place among the sport’s elite, promising even greater achievements in the years to come.
