Coco Gauff secures Citi Open title, eyes redemption at US Open

In the Mubadala Citi DC Open girls’s remaining on Sunday, Coco Gauff secured her first WTA 500 title by defeating Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3 in Washington, D.C. The win marked her first match victory on U.S. soil because the US Open approaches.

Just over a month in the past, Gauff skilled a disheartening first-round loss at Wimbledon, leaving her unsure in regards to the subsequent step in her profession. However, along with her Citi Open victory, she has regained confidence and is now setting her sights on a profitable marketing campaign on the upcoming US Open, aiming for a deep run within the match.

“I’d like to thank my father God after this [victory],” Gauff instructed reporters. “After losing the first round of Wimbledon, it was a tough situation.”

In between tournaments, Gauff just lately added former tennis professional and well-versed coach Brad Gilbert to her crew. Gilbert, who has additionally served as an analyst for ESPN, additionally beforehand coached Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray. Agassi received six of his eight Grand Slams beneath his steerage, and Roddick received the 2003 US Open.

“It’s our first tournament as a full team. I’m glad that we were able to make this result. Thank you for sticking with me,” Gauff stated throughout the trophy ceremony. “I know those who were with me at Wimbledon. It was really tough. I’m glad I was able to bounce back.”

Despite being solely 19 years previous, Gauff has additionally received eight doubles titles. She beforehand expressed eager to be a task mannequin to younger Black girls who intention to copy her success within the sport.

Gauff’s victory on the match is historic, as she turned the youngest champion ever. Her achievement marks the third time an American has received the occasion, following her doubles companion Jessica Pegula’s victory in 2019 and Sloane Stephens’ win in 2015. Gauff’s win additionally locations her in an elite class as the primary teenager since Caroline Wozniacki to assert 4 or extra profession titles.

Gauff defeated Hailey Baptiste within the opening spherical earlier than defeating three seeded gamers: Belinda Bencic (sixth seed), defending champion Liudmila Samsonova, and Sakkari (ninth seed) within the remaining. Notably, her win over Sakkari marked her second Top 10 victory of the season.

“[Maria] is an incredible fighter,” stated Gauff of her opponent after defeating her. “She’s one of the players that I look up to on tour, to be honest. She was one of the nicest people when I was first coming on, and the color of the conversation she had with me made it less scary. So thank you.”

Rick Macci’s endorsement of Gauff’s potential to win the US Open carries vital weight, given his esteemed fame as some of the famend tennis coaches within the sport. With a formidable monitor file of teaching 5 gamers who reached the No. 1 rating globally, together with legends like Venus and Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, and Roddick.

“Coco Gauff, at age 19, has supersonic makeup speed, a wicked slice serve, a laser down the line, backhand with juice, nice soft crispy volleys, a feathery drop shot, and most of all, a quickly maturing mind, and if she can stay authoritative on the forehand she has enough to win the US OPEN,” he tweeted.

His perception in Gauff’s skills means that he sees one thing particular in her recreation and her psychological method to the game. Gauff’s strong performances and steady development as a participant have possible caught the eye of seasoned tennis specialists like Macci, rising the religion in her probably profitable the US Open.

The 2023 US Open will happen from Aug. 28 to Sept. 10 in Flushing Meadows, Queens on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The participant subject for the boys’s and ladies’s occasions shall be revealed on Thursday, Aug. 24.