American tennis crowned a new queen and U.S. Open champion on Saturday as Coco Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka in the Flushing Meadows final to claim her first Grand Slam and ascend the throne left vacant by Serena Williams.
The first teenager to play in a U.S. Open final since Serena in 2001 there was symmetry to the moment as Gauff rallied to beat the second seeded Belarusian 2-6 6-3 6-2 and end a six-year barren stretch for American tennis fans, who were finally able to celebrate a homegrown champion.
American women have been on the rise in recent years, moving into the top 10 and winning tournaments but since Serena Williams played her last match on Arthur Ashe in 2022, the U.S. has been without a standard bearer — until now.
Gauff, who as a young girl, said she had dreamt of becoming the next Serena Williams, is now just that the undisputed face of U.S. tennis with many predicting she will become the world’s top ranked player one day with a trophy case packed with Grand Slam titles.