September 08, (THEWILL) – Teenage sensation, Coco Gauff, showed remarkable composure on Thursday, to advance to her first US Open final after a lengthy delay caused by climate change protesters.
The 19-year-old American was leading Karolina Muchova 6-4, 1-0 when activists interrupted the match, forcing a 49-minute stoppage. Gauff admitted the disruption had been “challenging” but expressed sympathy with the protesters’ cause. When play resumed, Gauff regained her focus to close out a 6-4, 7-5 victory in a tense match lasting nearly three hours. She will now face either second seed Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final.
Gauff made a strong start, racing to a 5-1 lead in the first set before Muchova fought back. The Czech player levelled at 5-4 but Gauff broke again to take the set 6-4. The second set was finely poised at 1-1 when protesters chanting “End fossil fuels” disrupted play. One activist glued themselves to the stands.
After the delay, Gauff staved off multiple breakpoints to eventually prevail 7-5 and become the youngest American woman to reach the US Open final since Serena Williams in 1999.
Muchova was disappointed with her performance but admitted little could be done to prevent future protests. Gauff meanwhile was philosophical, acknowledging the activists’ right to be heard despite the interruption to her victory charge.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
