Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam title by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open women’s singles final in three sets on Saturday.
Gauff won 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to become only the third American teen to win the final grand slam of the year, joining the ranks of Serena Williams and Tracy Austin, ABC News reports. The last time an American woman won the tournament was in 2017.
The 19-year-old Gauff became the youngest American US Open Champion since Williams, who won the same tournament 24 years ago. Williams was 17 at the time when she claimed her first major title.
Gauff was emotional after her victory, expressing her shock and gratitude during her on-court remarks. She also ran into the stands to hug her parents, coach, and other guests in her player’s box.
“I feel like I’m a little bit in shock in this moment,” Gauff said during on-court remarks following the win. “I’m just thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words for it, to be honest,” she said.
After winning, Gauff ran into the stands to hug her parents, coach, and other guests of her player’s box. The teen also made a pointed statement to the naysayers, saying, “Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me.” Adding, “To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were putting gas,” she said.
Both athletes made their U.S. Open final debuts in this title match.
Gauff, the No. 6 seed, was the first American teen to take the court in the U.S. Open women’s championship match since Serena Williams, who was 19 then, faced off against Venus Williams, her older sister, in 2001.
The Florida sensation becomes the 10th teen to win the U.S. Open women’s singles title and the youngest American to do it since Serena Williams did so at 17 years old in 1999.
Gauff’s achievement places her in the company of tennis greats like Serena and Venus Williams, Althea Gibson, Naomi Osaka, and Sloane Stephens, whom she acknowledged after her big win.
“It’s an honor to be in that stat with Althea Gibson, Serena, Venus [Williams], Naomi [Osaka], Sloane [Stephens]. They paved the way for me to be here…I hope another girl can see this and believe they can do it, and hopefully their name can be on this trophy too,” she said at the end of her press conference.
When Gauff was presented with her $3 million check for winning the tournament, she thanked tennis legend and social justice activist Billie Jean King, whose fight for equal pay for women came to fruition at the US Open exactly 50 years ago.
Gauff’s success at the U.S. Open was part of a broader milestone, as she was one of four Black American players to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament, marking the first time this has happened in the start of the open era of tennis began in 1968.