Coco Gauff has been congratulated by former American President Barack Obama and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, after her victory at the
US Open.
Sixth seed Gauff had a dream run at the last Grand Slam of the year in New York. The 19-year-old ousted the likes of Mirra Andreeva, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Ostapenko, and fellow top-10 player Karolina Muchova to reach the final at Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career.
In the final, she faced second seed and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. Although the Belarusian won the first set 6-2, Gauff fought back hard in front of the home crowd to win her first Grand Slam title 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. This win will make her the top American player on the
WTA Tour when the rankings are updated tomorrow, Monday, September 11.
This victory makes Gauff the youngest player to have won the US Open since an 18-year-old Serena Williams defeated Martina Hingis in the 1999 final 6-3, 7-6 (4).
The Obamas share their praise for Gauff
While praise has been flooding in for the young tennis star on social media, one of the most notable voices congratulating her has been that of former President Barack Obama, who predicted that the best was yet to come for Gauff.
"Congratulations to US Open champion, @CocoGauff! We couldn’t be prouder of you on and off the court - and we know the best is yet to come," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Meanwhile, Michelle Obama also shared her praise for the player, writing:
"So proud of you, @CocoGauff! Your hard work and grit was on display throughout this tournament. This is your moment!"
The couple were in attendance at Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch Gauff play during the first week of the Slam.
Gauff is scheduled to play again at the WTA Guadalajara Open from September 17-23.