Coco Gauff Beats Jelena Ostapenko, Reaches First US Open Semi-Final

By BERT HOOVER Sep 06 2023, 02:39 AM EDT

Coco Gauff's journey at the US Open is a relentless pursuit of her dream since childhood: winning a major championship.

Her first-ever appearance in the tournament semi-finals is a significant achievement. Still, it does not fully satisfy the 19-year-old tennis sensation.

For Gauff, the dream has always been about lifting the championship trophy, not the fame or autographs from fans. Her focus remains squarely on the ultimate goal, ESPN reports.

Gauff's determination and talent have been evident throughout the tournament.

In her latest match, she handled challenging conditions, including intense heat and humidity, while facing a powerful opponent, Jelena Ostapenko. Gauff's performance was dominant, resulting in a 6-0, 6-2 victory.

Notably, she became the first American teenager to reach the US Open semi-finals since Serena Williams in 2001.

Gauff has been on an incredible run, with 16 wins in her last 17 matches. Her next challenge will be against Karolina Muchova, the 10th seed from the Czech Republic, who also had an impressive start to her match, saving nine break points in a single game in the opening set.

Muchova eventually defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania with a score of 6-0, 6-3, showcasing her determination to reach the final.

Coco Gauff Beats Jelena Ostapenko

Coco Gauff faced a formidable opponent in the resurgent Jelena Ostapenko, who had previously defeated defending champion Iga Świątek.

However, playing in front of her home crowd, Gauff displayed remarkable composure and dominance, winning the first set in a mere 20 minutes, according to CNN.

Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, returned in the second set with increased aggression, securing two games and avoiding a complete shutout.

Despite her efforts, the Latvian player struggled with consistent errors throughout the match, ultimately proving no match for Gauff.

While the final score appears decisive, Gauff had to work hard for her victory. Ostapenko valiantly saved two match points as Gauff sought to close the match.

Eventually, Gauff's precise forehand secured her 10th consecutive win and propelled her further in the tournament.

US Open Players Complain They Cannot Watch Tournament From Their Hotel Rooms

US Open players, including Coco Gauff and Daniil Medvedev, have expressed their frustrations over being unable to watch the tournament from their hotel rooms due to a dispute between cable provider Spectrum and ESPN.

This issue has also affected many fans across the United States, per Mirror.

Spectrum, the second-largest cable company in the US, is currently embroiled in a dispute with ESPN, which is owned by Disney and holds the exclusive broadcast rights to the US Open.

ESPN decided to pull all of its programming from Spectrum last week, citing dissatisfaction with the fees it receives for broadcasting its content.

This dispute has had repercussions not only on the US Open but also on various American football games.

Players like Coco Gauff and Medvedev have voiced their frustration at being unable to watch ESPN at their hotels, resorting to alternative means like online streaming to follow the matches.

The absence of ESPN programming has left them with limited options for viewing the tournament.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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