Coco Gauff Advances to First US Open Final Despite Environmental Protest Delay

In a remarkable journey to the US Open final, 19-year-old tennis sensation Coco Gauff overcame Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova, securing her place in the championship match. Gauff, seeded sixth, will have the opportunity to silence any doubts about her ability to win Grand Slam titles when she takes the court for her first US Open final on Saturday.

“It was a tough match,” Gauff reflected. “It was a lot of emotional challenges in the match, but I think I did a good job of staying focused, and I’m really proud of myself today.”

Her opponent in the final will be Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian who previously clinched the Australian Open title in January and is set to become the world No. 1, regardless of the final result.

Gauff faced an unusual delay during her semi-final match when environmental protesters disrupted the game for 49 minutes. While the interruption could have disrupted her focus, Gauff remained composed, as did Muchova, once the match resumed.

Reflecting on the protest, Gauff expressed her belief in climate change and the importance of peaceful demonstrations, indicating that she was not upset with the protesters.

Despite reaching the French Open final in the previous year, Gauff’s 2023 season showed signs of plateauing. However, a coaching team overhaul, including the addition of former ATP pro Pere Riba and coach Brad Gilbert, marked a turning point in her career. Gauff’s subsequent victories in Washington and Cincinnati signaled a remarkable resurgence, including her first win over Iga Swiatek after eight attempts.

Entering the US Open, Gauff’s path to the final initially appeared to involve a showdown with Swiatek. However, Jelena Ostapenko’s surprise victory over Swiatek in the fourth round cleared a major obstacle for Gauff.

With 17 wins in her last 18 matches, Gauff appears in her best form yet. Despite her recent successes, she emphasized that she hadn’t expected such results during the hard court season and still believes there is room for improvement.

In her semi-final match against Muchova, Gauff demonstrated maturity and strategy, targeting Muchova’s backhand with high, looping ground strokes. Muchova struggled to respond effectively, committing numerous unforced errors.

While Muchova rallied in the second set, Gauff ultimately secured the win, setting the stage for her first-ever Grand Slam final on home soil.

Gauff’s journey to the US Open final is a testament to her growth and determination, and she will face Aryna Sabalenka in what promises to be an exciting championship match.