Author: Chandra Moulee Das
Continuing her impressive summer campaign, Coco Gauff secured a place in the US Open final by beating Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday. The sixth seed, Gauff, is currently on an exceptional run, having won 11 matches in a row, which marks the most remarkable run of her career.
There it is! Point of the match! pic.twitter.com/6gYcKuTqvm
– US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023
Surprisingly, the match was delayed by 49 minutes during the second set due to a protest, which led to the players retiring to the dressing room.
To put Gauff’s victory into perspective, she is the youngest of the four semi-finalists, with an age difference of almost six years. At the age of 19, Gauff also has the distinction of being the youngest American player to reach the US Open final since Serena Williams achieved the feat in 1999.
How it started at the #USOpen for Coco Gauff ⏩ This moment pic.twitter.com/W0r0KbIM5I
– US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023
She now aspires to join the three American women who have won the Open this century – Serena, her sister Venus and Sloane Stephens. Gauff is the youngest woman to take part in several Grand Slam finals, including Roland Garros 2020, since Maria Sharapova (Wimbledon 2004 and US Open 2006). She is also the youngest American to achieve this feat since Monica Seles did it from 1990 to 1993.
What a turnaround for Aryna Sabalenka! pic.twitter.com/IGO1JWUYuv
– US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023
In the other semi-final clash, after being on the verge of falling to 0-3 in her career in the US Open semi-finals, reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka made an impressive comeback after losing the first set. Sabalenka fought hard to beat Madison Keys 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(5) and secure her place in the championship match against Coco Gauff.
Sabalenka had not lost a set on her way to the semi-finals and had conceded just 21 games in 10 sets played. However, she found herself on the defensive early on due to an electrifying performance from Keys in the opening game.