By Chris Harris Contributor
Updated 9/6/23 12:22pm ET
In the women’s quarterfinals of the 2023 U.S. Open, #21 Jelena Ostapenko faced #6 Coco Gauff on the court, but from the first serve, it was obvious it wasn’t going to be a close match.
Gauff, who was favored -275 over Ostapenko at +200, absolutely dominated the match from the beginning. Winning the first set without dropping a game, Gauff cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 triumph to earn her first-ever semifinal berth at the U.S. Open. Gauff is one of the few remaining favorites in the women’s draw after several of the top seeds have already been eliminated. Gauff will now play Karolna Muchová, this year’s runner-up at the French Open, in the next round.
2023 Women’s U.S. Open Odds
- Coco Gauff: +160
- Aryna Sabalenka: +200
- Karolina Muchova: +500
- Madison Keys: +850
- Marketa Vondrousova: +1400
- Qinwen Zheng: +1600
“I’m so happy,” Gauff said in her on-court interview following the victory. “Last year I lost in the quarterfinals. I’m happy and ready to get back to work on the next one.”
The first set was won by Gauff in just 20 minutes, playing in front of a pro-American crowd, chock-full of her supporters. 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko came out much more aggressively in the second set, taking two games to none, but it wasn’t enough. Gauff displayed her dazzling athleticism and power in what amounted to little more than a practice session.
Gauff’s victory makes her the first American teenager since Serena Williams in 2001 to go to the U.S. Open semifinals. It’s also only the second time in Gauff’s career that she has advanced to the semifinal round of a grand slam — the first instance occurred at the 2022 French Open when she ultimately lost to Iga Świątek in the final.
Gauff is a superstar in the making and with some convincing victories under her belt already in New York, she has arguably her best chance to win her maiden grand slam title.
*Odds courtesy of DraftKings.
Photo credits: Shutterstock
