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Women's Tennis

Chronicling Coco Gauff’s week as US Open champion

September 12, 2023 by Tara S

Anthony Gharib | ESPN

It’s been quite the week for Coco Gauff.

The 19-year-old American won the US Open on Saturday, her first ever Grand Slam victory. She became the youngest American to win a major tournament since Serena Williams won the US Open in 1999 at 17.

From a phone call with President Joe Biden to another primetime showing in New York, here’s a look inside Gauff’s whirlwind week since becoming champ:

Saturday: Gauff thanks New York crowd

Since her US Open debut in 2019, Gauff’s been the crowd favorite in the Big Apple. It became even more evident during her championship run this year, the fans showing their support throughout each match.

Gauff paid them back moments before lifting the trophy, showing how much the fans in New York meant to her.

“Last but not least, thank you to New York,” she said. “Thank you to you guys. You guys pulled me through this gas fire. The supporters that I have mean so much to me, so thank you all. And thank you to everyone who made this tournament possible.”

Saturday: Presidential congratulations

The 46th President offered his congratulations on X, formerly known as Twitter, but also made a phone call to the teenager. Gauff shared a snippet of their conversation in a video on TikTok. “Coco, this is Joe Biden,” the President said. “Congratulations.”

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama also congratulated Gauff on X:

“The support I have gotten is incredible,” said Gauff, according to the Associated Press. “Obviously, from President Obama and former First Lady Michelle is crazy that they were here my first-round match, and now I’m a different person now.”

Sunday: Prime-time football in the Big Apple

From the hard court to the gridiron, Gauff took in “Sunday Night Football” between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. Gauff, a Miami Dolphins fan, posed on the field with Saquon Barkley and Eli Manning before the game.

Monday: Appearance on NBC’s “Today Show”

After a night at MetLife Stadium, Gauff had a quick turnaround for a live interview on Monday morning’s “Today Show.”

She touched on the emotions of becoming a Grand Slam champion in her home country, how her brothers missed her call after winning and what it felt like laying on the hard court after being champion.

“It felt like it hit all at once because I didn’t want to tell myself it was match point on the match point. I didn’t want to start shaking,” Gauff said. “So when it happened and … it was over, my previous matches it’s taken me six, seven match points to win and that was on the first one, so I was a little bit shocked. And I couldn’t breathe either.”

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Tennis, Women's Sports, Women's Tennis Tagged With: Coco Gauff

At 19 years old, Coco Gauff reaches first-ever US Open SF

September 5, 2023 by Tara S

Scott Sode | US Open

WHAT HAPPENED: American tennis keeps rolling at the 2023 US Open. At just 19 years old, American Coco Gauff has reached her first-ever US Open semifinal with an absolute clinical 6-0, 6-2 victory over No. 20 seed Jelena Ostapenko.

The pair had split their two previous meetings, though the Latvian scored a straight-set victory in their last encounter, in Round 4 at the Australian Open in January. That first set was quite close, however, with Ostapenko saving four break points at 4-3 and then breaking Gauff at 6-5 to ultimately swing the momentum of the match in her favor. In order to come out on top in today’s contest, the American would need to remain solid, weather a barrage of winners and take advantage when her streaky opponent started to miss.

Ostapenko, conversely, would need to keep her unforced errors low, in the same range as what she committed in her fourth-round upset of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek (20)—as opposed to the amount she produced in the second round against Elina Avanesyan (80).

And at the beginning of the match, Ostapenko could not keep the stat sheet clean. She hit half the unforced errors she hit total in her previous match in just the first three games to immediately go down a double break to the American in just nine minutes.

Credit Gauff, however, who from the very beginning committed to chasing every ball down. Desperate to make anything work, Ostapenko tried going for an uncharacteristic drop shot on break point in her next service game; Gauff sprinted up to the ball and easily put it away to break again. She claimed the first set in just 20 minutes, and Ostapenko headed off court to regroup.

The second set looked as if it might mirror the first, as Gauff broke Ostapenko in her first two service games. But the Latvian—who became the third woman in history to win four straight three-set matches to reach the US Open quarterfinals—began to find the court and produce the winners that propelled her to her victory over Swiatek. She reeled one of those breaks back and held for the first time, and even earned a break point opportunity at 3-2 with another shot for which she is not necessarily known: a lob.

But Gauff stayed tough, delighting the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium with her trademark speed and holding steady. She held her serve, then broke Ostapenko again as the No. 20 seed began to spray her shots again. She capably came back from a 0-30 deficit on her final service game and hit an incredible forehand winner to end a 17-shot rally to become a first-time US Open semifinalist.

WHAT IT MEANS: American tennis is in good hands. After becoming the first American teenager since Serena Williams to reach back-to-back US Open Grand Slam quarterfinals, Gauff is now the first American teenager to reach the US Open semifinals since the 23-time Grand Slam champion achieved the feat in 2001. The No. 6 seed next faces the winner of the match between Sorana Cirstea and Karolina Muchova. Gauff holds a 1-0 edge over both players, most recently beating Muchova just a month ago to take the title in Cincinnati. She came through a tight three-setter against Cirstea in the second round of the 2020 Australian Open.

MATCH POINT: The summer of Gauff continues. The American has now won 10 matches in a row, which ties her previous career-best win streak.

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Tennis, Women's Tennis Tagged With: Coco Gauff

CATARINA MACARIO, CHLOE KIM AND MORE: 20 FEMALE ATHLETES TO KNOW IN 2022

December 21, 2021 by Tara S

Top 22 Female Athletes of 2022

As 2021 comes to an end, it’s time to look forward to the year ahead in sports.

With the Winter Olympics in February, March Madness on the calendar and a landmark NWSL season to come, women’s sports fans are in store for an exciting year.

Here are the 20 athletes to know or get reacquainted with in 2022: 

[Read more…] about CATARINA MACARIO, CHLOE KIM AND MORE: 20 FEMALE ATHLETES TO KNOW IN 2022

Filed Under: Athlete Spotlight, Golf, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lacrosse, Olympics, Paralympics, Racing, Running, Skiing, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Team USA, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Women in Sports, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Hockey, Women's Soccer, Women's Sports, Women's Tennis, Women's Wrestling

AMÉLIE MAURESMO NAMED FRENCH OPEN’S FIRST WOMAN TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

December 21, 2021 by Tara S

Amelie Mauresmo French Open Director

by: CLARE BRENNAN | Just Women’s Sports

Former world No. 1 tennis player Amélie Mauresmo was appointed as Roland Garros’ tournament director on Thursday.

Mauresmo is the first woman to serve as the French Open’s director, replacing Guy Forget, who held the role since 2016.

“I have accepted the position of Tournament Director with clear ambitions,” Mauresmo said in a statement from Roland Garros. “I will carry them out with the same high standards, freedom and passion that have always driven me.”

The 42-year-old’s career highlights include a 2006 Australian Open title and Wimbledon championship before retiring in 2009. The French star followed up her playing career with a high-profile coaching job for British tennis icon Andy Murray.

Mauresmo was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016.

Filed Under: Tennis, Women in Sports, Women's Tennis

EMMA RADUCANU NAMED 2021 BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

December 21, 2021 by Tara S

BY: EMMA HRUBY | just women’s sports

Emma Raducanu has been named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2021 after a breakout year that saw her win the US Open.

At just 18 years old, Raducanu ended Britain’s 44-year title drought in women’s Grand Slam singles, while also becoming the first qualifier to win at the US Open. The youngest British player to win a Grand Slam, she also was the youngest women’s Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004.

Raducanu accepted the award from the BBC over video after testing positive for COVID-19 ahead of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event. She’s set to compete in the Australian Open next month.

“It’s such an honour just to be among these nominees. Congrats to you and all your achievements,” Raducanu said in her awards speech. “I’m really happy with this, I’ve watched Sports Personality of the Year growing up and it’s an honour to be among those past winners. I’m happy for British tennis as well, and that we’ve managed to get this award… again!

“Thanks to all the fans and voters, this year has been insane. The energy this year playing at Wimbledon in front of my home crowd, that was something I’ve never felt before.”

In addition to her US Open win, Raducanu made a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in July in what was her Grand Slam main draw debut.

Last week, three-time winner of the award Andy Murray said that Raducanu deserved to win the award, adding that he didn’t think “anyone would be too surprised if that is the outcome.”

Murray was the last tennis player to win the award in 2016.

Raducanu is the first female to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year since Zara Phillips (now Tindall) won it in 2006.

Filed Under: Athlete Spotlight, Tennis, Women's Sports, Women's Tennis

Walking the Walk: Senior tennis player Claire Neil leads by example

April 29, 2021 by Tara S

By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications

KEARNEY – Claire Neil talks the talk and walks the walk – “although she doesn’t talk a lot.”

That’s how University of Nebraska at Kearney head women’s tennis coach Scott Shafer describes the lone senior on this year’s roster.

[Read more…] about Walking the Walk: Senior tennis player Claire Neil leads by example

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Tennis, Women's Sports, Women's Tennis Tagged With: Claire Neil

2021 All-MIAA Women’s Tennis Teams, Postseason Awards Announced

April 28, 2021 by Tara S

By: MIAA Communications

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The league office announced today the 2020-21 MIAA Women’s Tennis Postseason Awards and All-MIAA Teams. Coach of the Year honors went to Central Oklahoma’s Jaron Maestas, Player of the Year accolades went to Central Oklahoma’s Adel-Byanu Abidullina and Freshman of the Year was awarded to Central Oklahoma’s Mae Canete. The Sportsmanship Award went to Nebraska Kearney’s Claire Neil.

The awards were nominated and voted on by all nine league head coaches sponsoring women’s tennis.

[Read more…] about 2021 All-MIAA Women’s Tennis Teams, Postseason Awards Announced

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Tennis, Women's Sports, Women's Tennis Tagged With: Claire Neil

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