This year’s US Tennis Open was one like no other. While all athletes competed with high levels of skill, there was one player who stood out among the rest, Coco Guaff. From a young age, Gauff’s parents knew she was “destined to be something”. Every day they would make her spend hours on the courts, perfecting her game. Coming off of a big loss in the 2022 French Open final, Gauff fought hard in the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. Her first set was rough; she suffered a brutal 2-6 loss. But knowing America rested on her shoulders, she confidently turned things around. In her next round, she conquered her opponent with a 6-3 set score. And set 3? 6-2, Gauff. In the end, Gauff came out on top against 25 year old Aryna Sabalenka. With this, she won the US Open, her first Grand Slam title. 

Only bested by Serena Williams’ US Open victory at 17, Coco Gauff is now the second youngest American player (and the third overall American teenager) to win the US Open. She credits much of her success to the haters putting her down. “Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me”, she says. “To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were putting gas.”