Coco Gauff sent special message by Michelle Obama as consolation prize following US Open near-miss

It was not to be for Coco Gauff at the 2026 US Open after blowing a one-set lead against Elena Rybakina, bowing out cruelly at the semi-final stage. Her recent form has been very impressive and has got the attention of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, who handed out a few words of praise and reassurance following the painful defeat.

Gauff was in stunning form. Following a breakthrough run at Wimbledon where she missed a match point to reach the final, the 22-year-old enjoyed a pulsating North American hardcourt swing. A semi-final run at the Canadian Open ended at the hands of Rybakina before winning 12 consecutive sets en route to the Cincinnati Open title with Jessica Pegula defeated.

She made it 20 sets in a row at Flushing Meadows before being forced to survive two match points against Mirra Andreeva, resulting in a trademark comeback win brilliantly executed by the 2023 champion. A third Grand Slam was coming into view with another tie against Rybakina standing in her way of a fourth major final.

After winning the first set, Gauff could not muster up a level that thwarted her opponent, who proved to excel in this contest despite the partisan crowd passionately siding with their American favourite. After seeing Pegula exit moments beforehand, they would also leave disappointed as Rybakina struck late in both sets to set up a final showdown against Aryna Sabalenka.

That is two Grand Slam events on the trot where Gauff was so close to reaching the final, cruelly dispossessed of that opportunity right at the end. The support she received at Arthur Ashe Stadium was incredible, with a number of well-known names watching on intrigued to see how the final outcome panned out.

Obama watched on but was sad to see Gauff not able to prevail. She was at the centre of attention at one point during the day, being projected onto the big screen with a chorus of applause echoing around the stadium. At the end of the day, it was all about the four tennis players, and Obama had her eyes on one in particular.

Following the defeat, she went to X to share a supportive message directed at Gauff. "Big hugs to @CocoGauff!!! She’s a joy to watch. Always proud. Go USA Tennis!!"

The pair have a history together, meeting all the way back in 2019 when a 15-year-old Gauff with bags of potential swapped autographs in a special moment that she would cherish to this day. Seemingly, that relationship is still a positive one with bundles of respect between the two still evident.

Obama was not the only person in the house cheering Gauff on. Thousands of spectators passionately roared on the former champion, but their aid would not produce a winning result. Nevertheless, it was still special for Gauff to receive it.

“It means a lot," she said in her press conference. “It always sucks at the end to feel what I know is not a complete disappointment, but not to be able to get the win for them. They definitely carry me through a lot of these matches here. I can feel the love all the way down to the last point; it’s a rare experience as an individual to be able to experience that."

She highlighted the significance of tennis being a solo sport. “I think most athletes experience that in team sports and team events, but tennis is so unique that I have probably had 99.9% of the crowd behind me and solely for me. It’s an experience and an environment I will always cherish. Hopefully I have a lot more years out here, but I know in hindsight it’s not that long.”

While all of this was very touching, Gauff will leave New York without her intended target. Her season has taken an upward turn as of late with a stretch of consistency filling in for patchy results. However, it is the first time in two decades that an American woman has not reached the final of a singles Grand Slam tournament. Gauff and Pegula came the closest with a brace of semi-finals, but it is a huge blow for what has been a dominant nation when it comes to WTA tennis.

The campaign is most certainly not coming to an end yet. Almost 2,000 points ahead of Marta Kostyuk, who sits in ninth in the WTA Race, Gauff is very likely to feature once more in the WTA Finals at the end of the year. Beforehand, there is still the matter of the Asian swing. Two WTA 1000 tournaments are on the horizon, with a lot at stake for the American number two at the China Open and Wuhan Open. After losing to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova in Beijing, she was able to come out on top against Pegula in Wuhan. Exciting times ahead for Gauff, who continues to march on.