Coco Gauff qualified for the second round of the US Open 2023 thanks to her victory over the German Laura Siegemund on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, under the gaze of a shower of sports stars and a former US president.
In fact, the young American champion was supported by notable guests in the crowd in the stands, such as former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, former boxing Mike Tyson and former tennis icon Maria Sharapova.
Here are the best photos:
The Obamas© Sarah Stier / Staff getty Images Sport
Sharapova© Matthew Stockman / Staff Getty Images Sport
Tyson© Matthew Stockman / Staff Getty Images Sport
The first round match in New York was hard for Coco Gauff
It was not an easy opening match for Coco Gauff at the US Open 2023, on the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American tennis player defeated the German Laura Siegemund in three sets, in a rather complicated match, which also had some moments of great tension on the court.In the third set, when she was ahead 3-0 in the score, the American protested against the chair umpire for a behavior that she didn’t like from her opponent: “She’s never ready when I have to serve.
She has exceeded the time limit 4 times, you only gave her a violation once. How is that possible? You’re calling the score about 6 seconds after the point is over.”Even at the press conference, Gauff was questioned by the media on the issue: “If you approach people with respect and show your version of events, I don’t think anything goes wrong.
It’s important to be respected and point out injustices, I think she was doing something unregulated and it was nice to report it.”The 19-year-old was delighted to have a visit from Barack and Michelle Obama:Â “It was an incredible feeling, they came to see me in the locker room and congratulated me for doing my own thing and having personality!”