US Open 2023: Coco Gauff carrying Serena Williams' legacy vs Aryna Sabalenka in women's final

Serena Williams is one year into her retirement and already another American woman has taken over. It is probably too quick to elevate her to the levels of Serena, but Coco Gauff does carry the mantle when she takes court in the US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka. Twelve months after Williams signed off from a 27-year professional career that yielded 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 19-year-old Gauff is on the cusp of winning her first major championship. Gauff has dismissed suggestions that she is the “new Serena Williams”, making it clear that her idol’s achievements may never be matched. “Serena is Serena,” Gauff said following her semi-final victory over Karolina Muchova . “She’s the GOAT (Greatest of all time). I’d hope to do half of what she did.” But the teenager makes no secret that Williams was instrumental in inspiring her to pick up a racquet and pursue her dreams.

How Coco Gauff reached her first US Open final 👀@IBM | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/qLraL6DYzM

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023

“I think really just the way she was able to transform a sport that’s predominantly white,” Gauff has said. “That’s something that as a little girl — and even now — meant a lot to me. “Growing up, before I was born, there wasn’t many (Black tennis players) before Serena came along. There was not really an icon of the sport that looked like me. “So growing up, I never thought that I was different because the No. 1 player in the world was somebody who looked like me.” Gauff announced her arrival to the tennis world at Wimbledon in 2019. Then, all of 15, she reached the fourth round while beating Serena’s sibling Venus. Despite her array of talents, though, the teenager admits to sometimes suffering from “impostor syndrome”, questioning whether she really belongs at this level. This despite ticking off two of the biggest titles of her career in the past couple of weeks. She won titles in Washington (WTA 500) and Cincinnati (WTA 1000) and has been beaten just once since Wimbledon. In Cincinnati, she picked up her first victory over World No 1 Iga Swiatek after a streak of seven straight defeats without winning a set. “Even after (winning in) Washington, you know, I still was like, ‘Well, you know, I beat some good people but maybe I caught them on off days!’” Gauff says she is slowly learning to “give myself more credit.” “I’ve been trying to speak more positively of myself and actually telling myself that I’m a great player.” With Brad Gilbert by her side, she’s been advised to smile more and admits that it is helping. Whether she is smiling at the end of the final on Arthur Ashe Stadium will depend whether she can get the better of Aryna Sabalenka.

Aryna Sabalenka won this match. pic.twitter.com/70rrh7MoBX

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023

More from Tennis

How long will Djokovic continue playing? Tennis icon drops big statement: 'US Open sounded bit like a goodbye' 'Where the hell are the rest?': Boris Becker blasts rivals for failing to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner

Sabalenka, who will replace Swiatek as World No 1 on Monday, has enjoyed a breakthrough season and is targeting a second Grand Slam title to bookend her Australian Open crown in January. Having the experience of playing for the title at Melbourne Park “is going to help me,” Sabalenka said, “because I know which kind of emotions to expect. I know how to handle them.” Last year, the hard-hitting Belarusian departed from Flushing Meadows in the semi-finals, distraught after losing to Swiatek in three sets after leading 4-2 in the final set. Yet, her improved mental resilience and a complete overhaul in approach was on full display as she battled through a nerve-shredding encounter with Madison Keys 0-6, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (10/5) to reach the final.

Aryna Sabalenka is ready to face Coco Gauff 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Dg0sZ2OAnz

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023

Sabalenka, who says that she is “her own psychologist”, is fully prepared for what awaits her in not just Gauff but also the 23,000-capacity crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium. “She’s an unbelievable player,” said Sabalenka. “The crowd will be supporting her a lot. I will do everything I can. I’ll be fighting for every point and I will do my best.” “I’m still hoping that probably some of them will be supporting me. Will be just a little bit,” Sabalenka said with a laugh. “Just sometimes, please. Please!” Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka: Head-to-head Matches: 5 Coco Gauff won: 3 Aryna Sabalenka won: 2 Matches: 2020 Lexington: Gauff def. Sabalenka 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 2020 Ostrava: Sabalenka def. Gauff 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 2021 Rome: Gauff def. Sabalenka 7-5, 6-3 2020 Toronto: Gauff def. Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 2023 Indian Wells: Sabalenka def. Gauff 6-4, 6-0 When is the US Open women’s final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka? The US Open women’s final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka is on September 9, 2023. It will become September 10 (Sunday) in India by then. What time is the US Open women’s final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka? The US Open women’s final is scheduled to start at 1:30 AM IST on Sunday morning. The match starts at 4 PM EST (8 PM GMT/10PM CET). Where is the US Open women’s final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka? The US Open women’s final will be played on the Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Which TV channel will broadcast the US Open women’s final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka? The US Open women’s final will be available on TV in India on Sony Sports Network. It is going to be telecast on ESPN in the USA, TSN in Canada and Sky Sports in the UK. Where to live stream the US Open women’s final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka? The US Open women’s final can be live streamed on Sony Liv in the Indian subcontinent.