They Grow Up Fast: Coco Gauff’s Journey to the U.S. Open Finals
In just a few short months, Coco Gauff has gone from a shaky tennis teenager to a star on the rise. Previously filled with doubt about her future in the sport, Gauff is now on the cusp of greatness as she reaches her first U.S. Open singles final.
As the U.S. Open finalist, Gauff has become the star attraction of her home Grand Slam tournament and is quickly becoming the new face of tennis in America.
On a hot September night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 19-year-old prodigy from South Florida, Coco Gauff, defeated Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic with a score of 6-4, 7-5. Despite being challenged by Muchova’s all-court game and the unique atmosphere, Gauff triumphed in front of an electric crowd.
“Some of those points were so loud that I don’t know if my ears will ever recover,” Gauff expressed in her on-court interview.
Next, Gauff will face Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the highly anticipated final match.
Sabalenka, who is set to become the world No. 1 in the upcoming rankings, secured her place in the final after a grueling three-set match against Madison Keys. Despite a rocky start and multiple missed opportunities by Keys, Sabalenka’s powerful game ultimately prevailed.
“Gauff is an amazing player,” Sabalenka acknowledged. “I’ll be giving my all for every point.”
During the second set, a climate protest disrupted Gauff’s momentum, resulting in a nearly 50-minute delay.
The New York Police Department and security officials faced challenges in removing protesters, with one even resorting to gluing his feet to the concrete in the upper level of the stadium.
When the interruption occurred, Gauff was leading with a score of 6-4, 1-0, and was on track to capitalize on Muchova’s vulnerability.
During the delay, Gauff and Muchova retreated to the locker room and the warm-up area to keep themselves prepared for the match.
While Muchova received a massage and lightly jogged in the hallway, Gauff casually approached a worker from the United States Tennis Association to view pictures of the protesters on social media.
In an interesting turn of events, Gauff had anticipated the possibility of a climate protest after having experienced similar situations at the French Open in 2022 and Wimbledon earlier this year.
It’s possible that Gauff had a premonition or had simply done her homework, as she is known for her thorough preparations.
Despite spending her high school years on the pro tour, Gauff managed to earn her diploma on time in the spring of last year.
In the past four years, Gauff has emerged as the most promising candidate to fill the void in American tennis. She made a breakthrough at Wimbledon at the age of 15 and had a remarkable French Open run last year.
However, Gauff’s progress seemed to plateau, particularly on the big stages, and she had struggled to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, where the spotlight was the brightest.
“I’m enjoying the game much more now than I did three years ago,” Gauff revealed.
Just two months ago, it seemed unlikely that Gauff would make it this far in the tournament, but Thursday night proved that anything is possible for her.
Gauff possesses the necessary tools to join the elite in the sport, including a powerful serve, an unyielding backhand, and exceptional speed and athleticism that allows her to dominate on the court.
Over the past five weeks, Gauff has honed her skills and learned how to utilize her tools effectively, particularly by improving her previously weak forehand.
In her match against Muchova, Gauff displayed a versatile game, employing a combination of powerful and looping forehands. She skillfully executed a variety of serves, including slicing them into the corners. Gauff confidently approached the net and excelled in taking control of points. She engaged in intense rallies with Muchova, eventually causing her Czech opponent to make crucial mistakes. Gauff garnered her first match point with a perfectly executed drop shot.
“She moves incredibly well and has a knack for retrieving difficult shots,” Muchova acknowledged of Gauff. “To succeed against her, you have to remain focused and make sure to finish points. It’s crucial to be fully present on the court and anticipate her movements. You must strategize where to place the ball to win points at the net or play it earlier.”
Although Gauff initially dominated the first set by taking a 5-1 lead, she faced a setback as Muchova aggressively fought back and pushed Gauff onto the defensive. Gauff experienced another setback when she lost her serve while attempting to close out the match at 5-3 in the second set.
To secure the victory, Gauff endured three more games, broke Muchova’s serve once more, faced five additional match points, engaged in an intense 40-shot rally that left both players breathless, and skillfully executed moon balls that floated 10 feet above the net.
During that intense rally, Gauff had a feeling that such a point was inevitable. She trusted in her physical stamina and believed that patience would be key. As the balls flew back and forth, Gauff sensed that winning that point would shift the momentum in her favor and that Muchova would struggle to endure another extended test on the following match point.
“I knew she would either go for the winner or miss,” Gauff shared. “And that’s exactly what happened.”
In an impressive display of resilience, Gauff defended against one final powerful serve from Muchova and maintained her composure until Muchova’s last backhand sailed long.
Since her first match of the tournament, Gauff has captured the hearts of New Yorkers, and now this night, along with a
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