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Several tennis players, including Ben Shelton, Andy Roddick, Jessica Pegula, Christopher Eubanks and Victoria Azarenka, celebrated Coco Gauff’s maiden Grand Slam win at the 2023 US Open.
Gauff rose to the occasion in front of her home crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 9. The American defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final to become the champion.
Going into the tournament Coco Gauff was one of the favorites for the title, having performed spectacularly throughout the North American hardcourt swing. In the weeks leading up to the New York Major, Gauff won her biggest title at the time at the WTA 500 Citi Open.
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Just weeks later, after featuring in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open, the teenager added an even superior trophy to her cabinet as she clinched the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open title.
At the US Open, Gauff defeated Laura Siegemund, Mirra Andreeva, Elise Mertens, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Ostapenko and Karolina Muchova before scoring an impressive 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, comeback victory over soon-to-be World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
Gauff, who had a previous career-best ranking of World No. 4 and is currently ranked World No. 6, will assume a new career-high position of World No. 3 come Monday, September 11.
The likes of Victoria Azarenka, Ben Shelton, Andy Roddick, Christopher Eubanks, Jessica Pegula, and Taylor Townsend were impressed by the 19-year-old's performance, and lauded her for winning her maiden Major.
"The cutest moment. Congrats @cocogauff," doubles partner Jessica Pegula wrote on X.
"You asked for my autograph at the 2012 US Open and here you are today. Champion. Standing proud and shining bright like a diamond. Congratulations @cocogauff. It's only the beginnning. #callmechampion," 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli wrote on Instagram.
Here are a few more reactions from the tennis world:
Coco Gauff follows in the footsteps of Serena Williams by winning the 2023 US Open title
The 2023 US Open final was the second Grand Slam final of Coco Gauff's young career. The 19-year-old previously featured in the final of the 2022 French Open, where she fell short against four-time Major champion Iga Swiatek.
Coco Gauff is the first American to win the US Open title since Sloane Stephens in 2017. Moreover, she is only the fourth woman from her country to emerge victorious in New York since 2000, joining the Williams sisters and Stephens.
The 19-year-old is also the first American since Serena Williams to lift the trophy as a teenager. Williams won her maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 1999, aged 17.
Gauff is also one of only 10 women overall to claim the title before turning 20, and just the third American alongside Serena Williams and Tracy Austin to do so.
