Coco on the Cusp 🎾

09/06/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

19-Year-Old Phenom #6 Coco Gauff Becomes 1st American Teenager to Reach US Open Semifinals Since Serena Williams (2001)

New York, get ready! Just one year ago, American tennis star Serena Williams played her final match at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the 2022 U.S. Open. In her absence, a new teenager has won the hearts of American tennis fans. No, Coco Gauff is not (yet) Serena Williams, but she’s not wasting time pretending to be. And the first slam of a soon-to-be iconic career is within reach. The 19-year-old Gauff overcame two first-set comebacks early in the 2023 U.S. Open, but she’s starting to find a groove, and she’s making history in the process.

Tuesday’s quarterfinal clash with #20 Jelena Ostapenko was a blistering display of dominance — 6-0, 6-2 with four aces and a streak of seven straight games. The New York crowd, as they have all tournament, leaned heavily toward the teenage phenom. And with only two other top-10 seeds remaining in the women’s draw, it’s Coco-mania in NYC. The torch has been passed. The shoes of Serena won’t be easily filled, but the Coco hype is growing fast.

Coco Gauff is the first American teenager to reach the U.S. Open Semifinals since Serena Williams (2001).

Women’s Singles Highlights

#6 C. Gauff def. #20 J. Ostapenko (6-0, 6-2)

#10 K. Muchova def. #30 S. Cirstea (6-0, 6-3)

Men’s Singles Highlights

#2 N. Djokovic def. #9 T. Fritz (6-1, 6-4, 6-4)

B. Shelton def. #10 F. Tiafoe (6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2)

Today’s Schedule (Quarterfinals)

M: #3 D. Medvedev vs. #8 A. Rublev (1:15 pm ET)

M: #1 C. Alcaraz vs. #12 A. Zverev (8:15 pm ET)
W: #2 A. Sabalenka vs. #23 Q. Zheng (12:00 pm ET)

W: #9 M. Vondrousova vs. #17 M. Keys (7:00 pm ET)

Women’s Semifinals: Thursday (Sept. 7)

Men’s Semifinals: Friday (Sept. 8)

AP: American Ben Shelton Becomes Youngest American in US Open Semifinals Since 1992, Gets Djokovic Next

Photo: Tim Clayton-Corbis / Getty Images