US Open final 2023 LIVE: Coco Gauff beats Aryna Sabalenka in sensational comeback performance

Coco Gauff timeline

Age: 19

Nation: United States

WTA ranking: 6 (Highest ranking: 4)

Seeding: 6

Grand Slam titles: 1 (U.S. Open 2023)

EARLY LIFE

* Started playing tennis aged six. Growing up, her tennis idols were Serena and Venus Williams.

CAREER TO DATE

* A former world number one junior, Gauff started her professional career on the ITF circuit in 2018.

* Won her maiden WTA singles title in 2019 at Linz and came to prominence when she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon as a qualifier, where she was beaten by eventual champion Simona Halep. Also won two doubles titles with Caty McNally.

* Reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2020 and cracked the top 50 in the world for the first time.

* Won her second WTA singles title at Parma in 2021 and reached the quarter-finals of the French Open, where she lost to eventual winner Barbora Krejcikova. Gauff also reached the U.S. Open women’s doubles final with McNally.

* Lost to Iga Swiatek in the French Open final in 2022. Finished runners-up in the women’s doubles final at the same tournament alongside Jessica Pegula.

* Gauff claimed the biggest title to date of her career at the Cincinnati Open in 2023. Also won in Washington D.C. in the build-up to the U.S. Open.

* Beat Sabalenka to become the first American woman to win the U.S. Open since Sloane Stephens in 2017.

US OPEN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS SINCE 2010:

2023 - Coco Gauff (U.S.) beat Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) 2-6 6-3 6-2

2022 - Iga Swiatek (Poland) beat Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) 6-2 7-6(5)

2021 - Emma Raducanu (Britain) beat Leylah Fernandez (Canada) 6-4 6-3

2020 - Naomi Osaka (Japan) beat Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 1-6 6-3 6-3

2019 - Bianca Andreescu (Canada) beat Serena Williams (U.S.) 6-3 7-5

2018 - Osaka beat Serena Williams 6-2 6-4

2017 - Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Madison Keys (U.S.) 6-3 6-0

2016 - Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 6-3 4-6 6-4

2015 - Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Roberta Vinci (Italy) 7-6(4) 6-2

2014 - Serena Williams beat Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-3 6-3

2013 - Serena Williams beat Azarenka 7-5 6-7(6) 6-1

2012 - Serena Williams beat Azarenka 6-2 2-6 7-5

2011 - Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat Serena Williams 6-2 6-3

2010 - Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 6-2 6-1

Coco Gauff’s day of destiny arrived as she came from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka and win the US Open.

The 19-year-old became the first American teenager to triumph at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 1999.

Williams’ final farewell to tennis at the same championships last year left a colossal void in tennis in the US.

So it felt only natural that Gauff, the heir apparent to the 23-time grand slam winner, stepped into her shoes 12 months later.

Sabalenka will be the new world number one on Monday after a remarkably consistent year in which she won the Australian Open and reached the semi-finals in Paris and at Wimbledon.

But that will be scant consolation for the 25-year-old from Belarus after she put herself in position to win her second grand slam title, only to fold as Gauff claimed her first, thrilling a raucous crowd with a memorable 2-6 6-3 6-2 victory.

Full report here.

And now the champion - Coco Gauff!

“Oh my goodness, it means so much to me! I feel a little in shock at the moment, the French Open loss was a heartbreak. It makes this moment even more sweet than I can imagine.

“I give it my all and whatever happens happens. I’m so thankful for this moment, I don’t have any words for it.

“I knew if I didn’t give it my all I had no shot at winning. Aryna was incredible - congrats on the No.1 ranking - I always tell my team you’re incredible behind the scenes.”

Gauff also thanks all her family - including her dad for crying on TV, which she loves!

Aryna Sabalenka has been beaten tonight but she will become the world No.1 ranked singles player on Monday.

It’s always tough to speak after a final defeat all the same and she’s both laughing and in tears as she takes the mic.

“I am most proud that I handled my emotions well and focused on myself not on the rankings.

“I felt the love through the couple of weeks. I wanted to say congrats to Coco, you were unbelievable and deserve this title. I hope we play many more titles but with a different result!

“My family are awake and watching so want to send them my love - sorry for this result! Thank you to my team, thank you guys. They know they will be fired after this tournament! No, we’ll come back stronger guys, I love you.”

Martina Navratilova speaking after the match: “Gauff has put in the miles on the track, on the court, in the gym. Then you have to trust you can put it together.

“She’s such a great role model for girls who want to play tennis or who want to achieve something.

“She’s very aware of what goes on in the world. She spoke so well about the protesters [this week].”

A stunningly composed and single-minded victory from Coco Gauff.

Her serve was broken in the very first game tonight and the power of Aryna Sabalenka looked too much to begin with.

But Gauff wasn’t rattled, kept going with her gameplan and worked her way not just into the match, but into control and ultimately into the history books.

COCO GAUFF WINS THE US OPEN WOMEN’S SINGLES TITLE!

This brilliant teenager is a grand slam champion and it is so richly deserved after a composed and brilliant performance, coming from a set down to win 2-1.

Sabalenka hits the first point long and as the crowd celebrate, she goads them and shows her frustrations once more. The next shot is an attempted slice over the net, which fails to make it, and the party is starting in the stands already at 30-0.

One more big rally is won by the composed and relentless approach, not the powerful one, and Gauff serves for the game, the set, the match and the US Open title. Championship point - duly wrapped up with a brilliant piece of anticipation and finishing strike.

The 19-year-old is champion!

Big point, big rally - Gauff wins it. We tick past the two-hour mark and Gauff goes 15-30 ahead in this game, Sabalenka absolutely needing this one to pile the pressure back on.

Another double fault ensues, she challenges but it’s out - two break points for Gauff and she only needs the one, rattling one into the corner and volleying the return the other way.

One game from victory and Gauff will serve for the grand slam title!

Maybe the treatment worked wonders.

Sabalenka earns her first break point in 53 minutes - and wins it courtesy of an errant Gauff strike down the line.

Not the service game she wanted, but no need for the American to panic yet.