Nature abhors a vacuum. So does tennis. This marked the first U.S. Open without Roger Federer and Serena Williams and, great as they were, the sport persisted just fine. Coco Gauff broke through and won the women’s title, likely the first of many. And a day later, Novak Djokovic won his 24th major. And plenty else happened as well. Some jottings, putting a bow on the 2023 U.S. Open …
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1. Gauff is the 2023 U.S. Open women’s champ, and she simply owned the tournament. That she seized the final by, ultimately, winning ugly—defending and out-thinking and letting her opponent make 46 errors—was fitting. Her ascent was never an “if” and now is a “when.” You could ask a dozen people to name her most impressive attribute and get 12 answers. We’ll go with her poise—in third sets, on big points, in the interview room. Navigating a coaching adjustment while honoring her parents. She projects such self-possession and awareness and a casual confidence. She is 19 going on 39. People of a certain age want to toast her parents as much as they want to toast her.
