It continues to capsize the public, but this time at home. The American nugget Coco Gauff, 6th in the world at 19 years old, qualified Thursday, September 7 for her first final of the US Open by beating the Czech Karolina Muchova (10th) 6-4, 7-5, after a match interrupted by environmental activists.

Gauff, who has already played a final at Roland Garros in 2022, will face Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka (2nd) or fellow American Madison Keys (17th) on Saturday to try to win her first Grand Slam title. She had never made it past the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows.

Gauff is the youngest American to reach the final of the US Open since Serena Williams, who in 1999 won the first of her six titles at Flushing Meadows. Like Queen Serena, Gauff was able to count on the overwhelming support of the public.

"On some points, the public made so much noise that I thought I was losing my hearing," joked the player. But keep it up, I hope it helps me on Saturday!"

Demonstration of environmentalists

The Floridian reached the final of her national Major for the first time in the wake of a flamboyant month of August with two titles just before coming to Flushing Meadows: Washington and the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati where she beat world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semis.

On Thursday, she emerged victorious in a match that was generally unexciting, especially because studded with 61 direct faults (25 for Gauff, 36 for Muchova), whose most exciting moment was perhaps its interruption by environmental activists.

As the players were about to start the second game of the second set, four people, according to the organization, stood up in the upper part of the stands of the huge Arthur Ashe Court and chanted "end fossil fuels".

The referee preferred to interrupt the game and while the public repeatedly shouted "take them out" against the activists, Gauff and Muchova were allowed to leave the court and return to the locker room while the situation was resolved.

When police intervened, three of the activists came out peacefully, but the fourth stuck barefoot to the ground. The police and medical service took several minutes to take him off before taking him out, his hands cuffed behind his back.

Festival of mistakes

On court, Gauff looked like she had to swallow the first set when she served at 5-1. But Muchova came back to 5-4. The Czech then served to tie at 5-5, but in a festival of direct faults (12 for Gauff and 17 for Muchova over the whole of the first set), the American took her opponent's serve a third time to pocket the first set.

In the second set, both players kept their game until Gauff managed the break (taking advantage of a dutifully smashed ball into the lane by Muchova) to lead 5-3 and serve for the match.

With a superb cushioning, the American got a first ball of the match, but the Czech saved it with great authority before breaking. At 5-4 and 15/15, Gauff and Muchova finally played a spectacular point, won by the American, which made the crowd rise.

The game then went wild, especially as Muchova saved four more match balls at 6-5. But after an exchange of 40 strikes, Gauff offered herself a sixth match ball, which she converted this time.

With AFP

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