Coco Gauff beats Aryna Sabalenka to win US Open 2023 women’s final.
Delhi: At the age of 19, Gauff secured a remarkable victory at the 2023 U.S. Open by defeating Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set match, with scores of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. This victory made her the youngest American to win a major tournament since Serena Williams’ triumph at the 1999 U.S. Open when Serena was just 17 years old. Gauff admitted to feeling nervous after losing the first set and decided to take a brief bathroom break to regain composure. She splashed some water on her face and mentally reset herself.
The tide of the match shifted during the second set when Sabalenka double-faulted, handing Gauff her first break of serve, allowing Gauff to take a 3-1 lead. Gauff’s game improved, while Sabalenka struggled with unforced errors, often hitting the ball into the net. The turning point came at 5-3 when Gauff won a crucial point at the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Sabalenka’s unforced error on set point gave Gauff the second set.
In the decisive third set, Gauff continued to elevate her performance right from the start. She secured an early break by displaying exceptional agility, including retrieving a difficult shot that bounced off the net cord. Gauff’s forehand winner during this break seemed to demoralize Sabalenka. Although Sabalenka managed to find her serve and hold at 4-1 with the help of a couple of aces, it was too little too late. She broke Gauff to narrow the score to 4-2, but Gauff remained composed while serving. Sabalenka’s powerful shots couldn’t get past Gauff’s unflappable defense. Sabalenka’s double fault followed by a Gauff smash gave Gauff a commanding 5-2 lead, but at end Gauff defeated her opponent by 6-2.
