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Saturday 9 September 2023

'Destiny fulfilled': Teen phenom claims home US Open


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Coco Gauff has claimed her maiden grand slam title, winning her home US Open over an error-prone Aryna Sabalenka.

Gauff fought back from a set down to claim the title 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. The 19-year-old is the first American teen since Serena Williams in 1999.

Sabalenka gave Gauff three Championship Points with an error, but she won it with a sensational backhand winner.

AS IT HAPPENED: US Open women's singles final, Gauff v Sabalenka

IN PICTURES: Coco Gauff's subtle nod to late NBA icon

READ MORE: 'Desperate': Medvedev calls out Alcaraz fans

"There it is - a destiny fulfilled. Coco Gauff is the US Open Champion," Todd Woodbridge said in commentary for Nine.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Gauff collapsed to the ground in ecstasy, before racing to the bench to call her brother.

Sabalenka will become world No.1 when the world rankings are recalculated next week.

First set

Sabalenka flew out of the gate and looked to stamp her authority right from the first game.

Up 30-40, Sabalenka looked to have won it easily when Gauff - as she so often does - made her play one more shot and she found the net.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates a point against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

But two booming winners at deuce, first a forehand to take it to ad, and then a booming backhand to win it.

A stack of errors in the following games allowed Gauff to break back.

In her match preview, Andrea Petkovic said on Stan Sports Gauff's way into this match was by forcing Sabalenka to play one more shot.

On several occasions when on the back foot in a point, Gauff did just that and Sabalenka made errors.

Sabalenka clinches first set

"Sabalenka really rushing some of these shots - it's almost like she had too many options," Jelena Dokic said in commentary for Nine.

Sabalenka sealed a crucial double break in the seventh game, and clinched the set somewhat comfortably.

Second set

Both players looked comfortable in their first games, but the first twist came in the fourth game when a series of Sabalenka errors gave Gauff the break.

Sabalenka should have held but made an error to take it to deuce, before a double fault - which have long been her Achille's heel - gave Gauff the break and the lead in the second set.

Sabalenka double fault gives Gauff the break

"Sometimes you just have to wait around long enough to let your opponent get in the way," Todd Woodbridge said.

Gauff consolidated the break strongly in the next game, much do the delight of the crowd.

Another Sabalenka forehand error that sailed over the baseline eventually gave Gauff the set.

Third set

Gauff took the lead for the first time in the match when she broke Sabalenka in the first game.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after a point against Coco Gauff of the United States during their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

She held in the second game, and yet another Sabalenka error gave her the chance to go up a double break in the third game and she took it when Sabalenka sent another forehand long.

In a sure sign it wasn't Sabalenka's day, she lost the vibration dampener - a small piece of rubber that sits between the strings towards the bottom of the racquet face - midway through that game and sent her next shot almost into orbit.

"What's going on for Aryna Sabalenka?" Todd Woodbridge posed in commentary for Nine.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Gauff held her next game to take a 4-0 lead, before Sabalenka finally got herself on the board and immediately took a medical timeout.

In commentary during the pause, Todd Woodbridge said he didn't believe she was in need of genuine medical attention.

She had a physio working on her thigh, but he said it was more likely Sabalenka took it as a break and a way to try and arrest some of the momentum from Gauff.

It seemed to work - she immediately got one of the breaks back.

But in the next game, Gauff immediately broke back to serve for the game, and did it.

Coco Gauff has claimed her maiden grand slam title, winning her home US Open over an error-prone Aryna Sabalenka.

Gauff fought back from a set down to claim the title 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. The 19-year-old is the first American teen since Serena Williams in 1999.

Sabalenka gave Gauff three Championship Points with an error, but she won it with a sensational backhand winner.

AS IT HAPPENED: US Open women's singles final, Gauff v Sabalenka

IN PICTURES: Coco Gauff's subtle nod to late NBA icon

READ MORE: 'Desperate': Medvedev calls out Alcaraz fans

"There it is - a destiny fulfilled. Coco Gauff is the US Open Champion," Todd Woodbridge said in commentary for Nine.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Gauff collapsed to the ground in ecstasy, before racing to the bench to call her brother.

Sabalenka will become world No.1 when the world rankings are recalculated next week.

First set

Sabalenka flew out of the gate and looked to stamp her authority right from the first game.

Up 30-40, Sabalenka looked to have won it easily when Gauff - as she so often does - made her play one more shot and she found the net.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates a point against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

But two booming winners at deuce, first a forehand to take it to ad, and then a booming backhand to win it.

A stack of errors in the following games allowed Gauff to break back.

In her match preview, Andrea Petkovic said on Stan Sports Gauff's way into this match was by forcing Sabalenka to play one more shot.

On several occasions when on the back foot in a point, Gauff did just that and Sabalenka made errors.

Sabalenka clinches first set

"Sabalenka really rushing some of these shots - it's almost like she had too many options," Jelena Dokic said in commentary for Nine.

Sabalenka sealed a crucial double break in the seventh game, and clinched the set somewhat comfortably.

Second set

Both players looked comfortable in their first games, but the first twist came in the fourth game when a series of Sabalenka errors gave Gauff the break.

Sabalenka should have held but made an error to take it to deuce, before a double fault - which have long been her Achille's heel - gave Gauff the break and the lead in the second set.

Sabalenka double fault gives Gauff the break

"Sometimes you just have to wait around long enough to let your opponent get in the way," Todd Woodbridge said.

Gauff consolidated the break strongly in the next game, much do the delight of the crowd.

Another Sabalenka forehand error that sailed over the baseline eventually gave Gauff the set.

Third set

Gauff took the lead for the first time in the match when she broke Sabalenka in the first game.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after a point against Coco Gauff of the United States during their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

She held in the second game, and yet another Sabalenka error gave her the chance to go up a double break in the third game and she took it when Sabalenka sent another forehand long.

In a sure sign it wasn't Sabalenka's day, she lost the vibration dampener - a small piece of rubber that sits between the strings towards the bottom of the racquet face - midway through that game and sent her next shot almost into orbit.

"What's going on for Aryna Sabalenka?" Todd Woodbridge posed in commentary for Nine.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in their Women's Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Gauff held her next game to take a 4-0 lead, before Sabalenka finally got herself on the board and immediately took a medical timeout.

In commentary during the pause, Todd Woodbridge said he didn't believe she was in need of genuine medical attention.

She had a physio working on her thigh, but he said it was more likely Sabalenka took it as a break and a way to try and arrest some of the momentum from Gauff.

It seemed to work - she immediately got one of the breaks back.

But in the next game, Gauff immediately broke back to serve for the game, and did it.

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