🏆️ Golden Gauff

What a weekend for US women’s tennis. This time last year we were saying goodbye to the greatest women’s player of all time Serena Williams, but fast forward a year and the torch for American women has picked up by another - teenage prodigy Coco Gauff.

The no.6 seed defied doubts and expectations, showcasing the mental resilience and maturity beyond her years that many have seen in her. On Saturday night the young American clinched her first GS title with a remarkable comeback at the US Open, defeating reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. All this just months after her emotional exit from Wimbledon's first round, where she questioned her potential.

Since that loss, Gauff's journey saw her winning successive titles in Washington and Cincinnati, and now ultimately securing the US Open crown. She joins the ranks of American teenage champions like her idle Serena Williams.

The match was a nervy one for both players. While Sabalenka tried to over power Gauff, it was Coco's defensive prowess that prevailed, as she chased down balls, forced errors, and improved her forehand under pressure.

After the match Gauff struggled to take in what she had achieved, "Oh my goodness, it means so much to me," Gauff said. "I feel like I'm a little bit in shock in this moment...”

Sabalenka, who was up against a home crowd, was bitterly emotional in defeat but praised Gauff’s "unbelievable" play during her post-match interview, and said she believed there would be "many more titles to come" for her.

The triumph silenced critics who believed she wouldn't achieve greatness in her teens. Gauff said that she used all the negative comments as motivation, igniting her fire. Her pathway to success included learning from losses and adapting her game, with guidance from coaches like Brad Gilbert and Pere Riba.

A massive high for Gauff meant a massive low for Sabalenka. She will bounce back. However unfortunately the same can’t be said for her racquet… 😅

 🤫 24 and more

Novak Djokovic secured his 24th GS title after a challenging season. Djokovic's summer began on a sour note with a loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon, not only being outplayed but also outlasted, signaling the emergence of a new threat at the age of 36.

Yet, Djokovic's game is defined by his capacity to bounce back stronger, as he demonstrated in the US Open final against Daniil Medvedev. He triumphed in a grueling battle, enduring numerous exhaustive rallies to secure a straight set victory 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory. This win marked a historic moment as Djokovic extended his record for the most men's GS titles and equals Margaret Court’s all time GS record of 24 majors.

Djokovic's achievements now include being the oldest US Open champion in the Open era, having won the tournament four times, and being the first player to secure three Grand Slam titles in a single season on four separate occasions.

Since his Wimbledon loss, Djokovic has showcased an astonishing winning streak of 12 consecutive matches, solidifying his status as the best player globally by a substantial margin. Despite his relatively limited tournament appearances, he holds an 800-point lead over his closest rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in the ATP race.

Reflecting on his remarkable season, Djokovic remarked, "I would definitely sign right away the paper if somebody would tell me I would win three out of four and play Wimbledon finals... I have so much more to be happier and content with than actually to regret something."

Djokovic learned from past experience playing Medvedev at the US Open final and remained focused. He mentioned, "I really did my best in the last 48 hours not to allow the importance of the moment and what’s on the line get to my head, because two years ago that’s what happened... My team, my family knew that the last 24 hours, don’t touch me, don’t speak to me about the history of what’s on the line."

The final itself was a rollercoaster. Djokovic seized control in the opening set early breaking Medvedev's serve. The match appeared to be slipping away from Medvedev in the second set as Djokovic managed to hold on during long, grueling exchanges. Although Medvedev mounted pressure on Djokovic's serve, the Serbian consistently found ways to respond. Djokovic's saved one set point to then go on to win the second in a tiebreak. Djokovic then asserted his dominance in the third set, convincingly outplaying Medvedev.

As Djokovic celebrated his triumph, he paid tribute to his late friend, Kobe Bryant, wearing a "Mamba Forever" shirt, featuring the NBA legend's iconic No. 24.

With fifteen years having passed since his first Grand Slam win at the 2008 Australian Open and twelve years of unparalleled dominance, Djokovic continues to accumulate Grand Slam titles. He has declared that he will only step away from the sport when he consistently faces defeats from younger players. For now, that day seems distant, as Djokovic maintains his relentless pursuit to god-like status.

 ⏰ Shot Clock

🙌 12 straight GS titles for wheel chair champion. Diede de Groot won her 12th straight Grand Slam wheelchair singles title Sunday, beating Yui Kamiji 6-2, 6-2 in the US Open women's final. The Dutch star completed her third straight calendar-year Grand Slam, including a Golden Slam in 2021

🎉 Federer, Roddick among others quick to congratulate Gauff on her US Open win. Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Rod Laver headlined the list of ATP stars who congratulated Coco Gauff on social media following her US Open victory. Patrick McEnroe even gave a red eyed video message of congratulations with wine in hand.

🏆️ Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealander Erin Routliffe US Open women’s doubles title. The pair defeated former champions Laura Siegemund of Germany and Russia's Vera Zvonareva 7-6(9) 6-3 in the final. The win marks an incredible two week run for the pair who only joined up less than a month ago.

😧 Not all smiles for the US tennis, with USTA fighting ongoing sexual abuse handling allegations. Kylie McKenzie alleges in a lawsuit against the U.S. Tennis Association that the governing body for the sport failed to protect her from a coach who she says sexually abused her at one of its training centres when she was 19.

 👏 Best of the rest

With the US Open over we share the picks for the best singles matches over the last 2 weeks as selected by the US Open.

Checkout the link here.