Gauff wins first Grand Slam as Djokovic takes record 24th title

19-year-old Coco Gauff has joined the League of Grand Slam champions after winning her first title at the US Open last weekend. Gauff, who beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in a grueling game of three sets, is now the new world number three. The American came back from a disappointing first set to beat her opponent 2-6 6-3 6-3 and lift the Grand Slam title for the first time.

The last time Gauff came this close to winning a Grand Slam final was at the 2022 French Open, where she sadly lost to Iga Swiatek. Now Gauff has become the first American teenager since Serena Williams to win a Grand Slam. 

The US Open victory comes just weeks after winning her first WTA 500 title (Washington Open) and WTA 1000 title (Cincinnati Open). The win on Saturday marked her 12th consecutive win, and she has now won 18 out of 19 matches. It’s a truly incredible feat. 

Elsewhere in the men’s division, Novak Djokovic claimed his 24th Grand Slam title after beating Daniil Medvedev in a game of three sets. The win means Djokovic is now the man with the most Grand Slam titles and the individual with the most titles since the Open Era. It was a daunting three sets on Sunday as Medvedev proved quite a formidable opponent, but Djokovic still managed to with on straight-sets with a final score of 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3. 

Djokovic, who is now back as world number one, has now won three out of the four Grand Slam titles this year – making it the fourth time he will do so in a calendar year. In 2021, it was Medvedev who stopped him from winning all four titles after beating him at the US Open. Djokovic returned the favour on Sunday. 

Wearing a shirt that paid tribute to the late basketball star Kobe Bryant, who was famous for the number 24 on his jersey, after his win, Djokovic narrated how he never imagined he would achieve such a feat but felt more optimistic as the years went by.

After missing out of two Grand Slam tournaments in 2022 (Australian and US Open), it felt like things were over for him, but he has been able to make up for it this year. 

Leon Osamor