Coco Gauff walks across the court at the US Open

As the school year opened, Pine Crest students and parents flocked to the US Open for a dramatic Women’s Singles Championship. From August 22 to September 10,  128 world-class athletes participated in the ultimate battle. 

Coco Gauff, at 19 years old, has won six WTA tour titles and eight doubles titles. The youngest-ever US Open winner has become one of the most well-known and admired athletes today. Ranked second internationally, Gauff is known not only for her youth, but also her speed and endurance on the court. Still just a teenager, Gauff has only begun her journey. In the championship, she beat #1 Aryna Sabalenka by one set, winning the Open. Some spectators spectators noted that this match was particularly intense. 

The Paw Print talked to a Pine Crest Girls’ Varsity Tennis team member, Antonia Adames ‘26. An enthusiastic fan, she said, “I was originally rooting for Sabalenka. However, by the end of the match, I was excited that Gauff won because of what she represents to the younger generation of tennis players like myself.”  

Adames, alongside other Pine Crest students, views her as an icon or role model for her hardworking, resilient spirit both on and off the court.