NEW YORK — Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old tennis superstar from Atlanta, has just won the U.S. Open.
Gauff etched her name into the record books Saturday afternoon after she defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in three sets, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. She became the first American teenager to win a U.S. Open title since Serena Williams did so at age 17 in 1999.
After Sabalenka dominated the first set 6-2, it appeared as if the 6-seeded Gauff would have an uphill climb to overcome the world No. 2 women's tennis player. After battling the nerves, Gauff settled down and looked poised in the 6-3 second set win.
She would go on to win the first four games of the third set before Sabalenka battled back. Gauff would close it out after her opponent won two games to win the U.S. Open where the raucous crowd who was behind Gauff the entire match erupted in cheers.
Gauff's first Grand Slam win comes four years after she burst onto the tennis scene at 15 years old by becoming the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history.
