Coco Gauff fell to her knees and prayed after she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller in the US Open Saturday night and went viral for being open with her faith and her beliefs.
Gauff appeared on NBC’s “Today” on Monday and talked about her moment of reflection.
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Coco Gauff celebrates after her match against Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2023 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center Sept. 9, 2023. (Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports)
“I was just saying thank you, and I understood all the tough times were just to make that moment even sweeter,” the 19-year-old tennis phenom said.
“I think if it came easy, I wouldn’t feel as appreciative as I did in that moment, clearly.”
Gauff spoke about her faith after winning the first Grand Slam title of her career after she was asked what it meant to her to win the title on home soil.
“Oh my goodness. It means so much to me. I feel like I’m a little bit in shock in this moment,” Gauff said. “That French Open loss was a heartbreak for me. I realized God puts you through tribulations and trials. This makes this moment even more sweeter than I could imagine.
Coco Gauff kneels in prayer after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s singles final of the US Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
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“I don’t pray for results. I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life. I’m just thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words for it, to be honest.”
She is the youngest American, male or female, to win a US Open since Serena Williams did so at age 19 in 2001. Williams also won two years prior when she was 17.
Gauff also joins Williams and Tracy Austin as the only American teenagers to win the tournament.
Coco Gauff celebrates with the championship trophy after her match against Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2023 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center Sept. 9, 2023. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
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Gauff’s previous best finish in Queens was in the quarterfinals last year – she lost the 2022 French Open to Iga Swiatek.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.