The US Open
Gauff pours cold water on Sabalenka title dream
Coco Gauff splashed herself in the face with water during a pause after losing the first set of the US Open women’s final to Ayna Sabalenka.
And the shock wet awakening worked wonders for the 19-year-old as she fulfilled her tennis dream with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback victory over the newly crowned world No. 1 to win the home Grand Slam title.
The first American woman to lift the New York trophy since Sloane Stephens in 2017,said she gave herself a serious talking-to in the off-court restroom after dropping the opener to her Eastern European opponent.
“I went to the bathroom because I was nervous. I was washing my hands, I put some water on my face, and I was, like, Okay,
I’ve got to just reset and redo it,” she said.
“I went into this match like it was any other match. I honestly wasn’t nervous going in.
“She was just playing great tennis, and I knew today was going to be one of those problem-solving tough matches because she’s a tough opponent.
“I’m obviously happy with the result.”
The winner’s accomplishment fulfilled the hopes which accompanied her breakthrough as a young teen who won her first title in Linz in 2019 as a lucky loser from the Austrian qualifying rounds.
Saturday’s victory at Flushing Meadows capped a standout summer hardcourt season for the Florida player, who has surged on cement since losing in the Wimbledon first round.
She picked up a 500 series title in Washington last month and then won Cincinnati a fortnight later to move into position for her Open triumph.
‘When I lost the first set I still felt I was into the match,” she said. “I said I would give it my all, whatever happens happens.
“Even on match point, 40 – love, technically the match was on my racquet.
“It didn’t feel like I had (almost) won. It was crazy. I was just trying my best to just focus on the point ahead of me.”
Gauff’s Grand Slam title came less than 18 months after she lost the Roland Garros final last season to Iga Swiatek.
“This (2023) French Open (quarter-final finish) is honestly where it changed,” she said.
“I felt pressure to back up the final, and I obviously didn’t. So I had to to reset. Wimbledon was a tough, tough loss.
“I thought I was playing good tennis leading up to that.”
Gauff said her title performance at Flushing Meadows “wasn’t really a change in the match mentality. I felt like I was playing as good as I could in the moment.
“She’s a tough power player, you’re always playing on your back foot honestly against her. I was just trying my best.”
Gauff said the match tide turned thanks to support from her home crowd of 24,000 in the Ashe stadium.
“The momentum did shift a little bit when I passed her on the backhandcrosscourt pass and I got the crowd involved,
“After that I just felt like I knew I was coming home with this (trophy).
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev will claim world year-end No. 1 honours for the first time on the back of two Grand Slam titles and a final this season.,
The ATP confirmed the changing of the guard as current No. 1 Jannik Sinner ended his season early last week due to a knee injury which has kept him off court since winning Wimbledon three months ago.
Zverev won Roland Garros and US Open trophies and lost to Sinner in the All England Club final.
His reign at the top will begin after the ATP Final in Turin with the ranking period starting on November 23.
Zverev will be 29 years, 217 days old on the date, three days older than Andre Agassi in 1999 (29 years, 214 days).
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev by ISF Ltd
The protagonists from the just-completed China Open will give the WTA Wuhan event a miss, with both Zheng Qinwen and finalist Mirra Andreeva skipping the key Asian date.
Beijing weekend champion Zheng who thrilled a nation with her home title victory, is claiming a right shoulder injury which Andreeva feels “fatigue.”
“I’m very sorry to share that I will be withdrawing from this year’s Wuhan Open,” Zheng said in a statement. “Wuhan is where my tennis dream began, and the Wuhan Open is also where I made my breakthrough at the WTA 1000 level.
“I have always looked forward to competing in front of my hometown fans.
“Since returning from injury, however, I have played a demanding stretch of tennis over the past month and a half, competing at the US Open, the Billie Jean King Cup, and the China Open.
“My body is feeling very fatigued after this intense run of matches. I look forward to returning to the Wuhan Open next year and stepping onto the court in my best possible form!”
Andreeva’s Beijing performance has lifted the teenager into the ranking top 3 for the first time and gives her a shot at the world No. 1 ranking by season’s end next month.
Main photo :-Zheng Quinwen by ISF Ltd
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