"She is THAT"; "Wept like she was my own" - Zendaya, LeBron James, Justin Bieber, Will Smith and other celebrities react to Coco Gauff's US Open win

Coco Gauff’s triumph at the 2023 US Open was lauded by several celebrities, including Zendaya, LeBron James, Hailey and Justin Bieber, and Will Smith.

On Saturday, September 9, Gauff won her maiden Grand Slam title in front of her home crowd by staging a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback against Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. In doing so, she became the first American to lift the trophy since Sloane Stephens in 2017.

Apart from Gauff and Stephens, only two other American women have achieved the feat in the 21st century – two-time champion Venus Williams and six-time champion Serena Williams.

Gauff also became only the third American teenager (after Tracy Austin and Serena Williams) to emerge victorious in New York, and the first since Serena Williams in 1999.

Several celebrities and athletes, including Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Mindy Kaling, Laura Dern, Amanda Seyfried, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Cara Delevingne, and Maria Sharapova, were in attendance to witness Gauff’s US Open winning moment. Other well-known personalities such as Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Justin Bieber had also marked their presence during the initial rounds.

Several celebrities took to social media to congratulate Gauff following her triumph. Mindy Kaling (of The Office fame) was at the Arthur Ashe Stadium and stated that the soon-to-be World No. 3 had her in tears.

“Witnessed @cocogauff become the US Open CHAMPION today and wept like she was my own daughter,” she wrote.

American rapper Jaden Smith, son of King Richard actor Will Smith, also expressed his happiness about the teenager crossing the finish line.

“HOLY AHHHHHHHHHH @cocogauff Congrats YOU DID IT GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU WON THE US OPEN AT 19!!!!!!!!!! Swag,” he wrote.

Musician and actor Justin Timberlake, meanwhile, posted a simple message on his Instagram stories while sharing the news of Gauff's win:

"She is THAT!!!"

Here are reactions from other well-known personalities, including Zendaya, Justin Bieber and LeBron James:

Viola Davis and Zendaya

Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber and Will Smith

LeBron James, Amy Schumer and Halle Bailey

Mindy Kaling, Justin Timberlake and Ellen DeGeneres

Cara Delevingne, Jimmy Butler and Jaden Smith

Kerry Washington, Michael B. Jordan and Spike Lee

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"I've been embracing everyone; it doesn't make me more nervous" – Coco Gauff on winning the US Open in front of a star-studded crowd

Coco Gauff is the 2023 US Open champion

In her post-match press conference, Coco Gauff appreciated the support from the New York crowd as well as the well-known personalities who graced the Arthur Ashe stadium during the fortnight.

“The support I have gotten is incredible. Obviously from President Obama and former First Lady Michelle is crazy that they were here my first-round match and now I'm a different person now,” she said.

The 19-year-old revealed that even during her matches, she paid attention to who was being shown on the screen.

“I saw pretty much every celebrity they showed on that screen. I've been looking at it the whole night -- or all week, two weeks, I've been looking at it from the first round till now. Some of those people I've actually met before. I saw Madelyn Cline was here. I did a little shoot with her. I was like, Oh, that's cool,” she added.

Gauff said that she was getting comfortable with having celebrated personalities watch her in action. She also stated that watching them on screen was a pleasant distraction.

“I've been embracing everyone. It doesn't make me more nervous. Honestly, it helps me keep my mind off the match. Okay, I have got to win in front of these people,” Gauff expressed.