Gauff beat soon-to-be No. 1 Sabalenka of Belarus in New York City to win one tennis’ most prized trophies.
Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open women’s final, becoming the latest Black American woman to leave a history-making mark on the most sacred grounds of U.S. tennis.
Gauff bested Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Saturday in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2).
“I just pray that I have the strength to give it my all, and whatever happens happens,” Gauff told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the match, explaining her prayers and her mental state. “I just knew if I didn’t give it my all, I had no shot at winning.”
The champ congratulated Sabalenka for rising to No. 1 in the world with her presence in the final.
The 19-year-old unusual mettle after finding herself down a set to a player who is technically the world’s best. Commentator Cliff Drysdale said it looked at that point like Sabalenka was “going to roll over her.”
It never happened.
The teenager held fast at the baseline and kept her serves mellow but accurate, and chased everything down. Her lie-in-wait strategy worked, as an inside-out forehand from Sabalenka in the second set sailed long and wide up the line and Gauff tied the match one set each.
The third and decisive set went by fast, and Gauff sealed it when Sabalenka came to the net down 2 games to 5, with her forehand volley ready, but with Gauff’s squeezing off a passing shot that screamed past and landed in.
“Coco lifted her game to a higher level than we’ve ever seen,” commentator Chris Evert said.
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