Coco Gauff will forever have her name listed among the GOATs of tennis following her victorious performance in the US Open final at 19 years old, making her the youngest American player to win the title since Serena Williams in 1999. The win on Saturday (Sept. 9) gave the rising talent her first Grand Slam.

Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York. The women’s singles title victory comes two months after the teenager lost the French Open. While basking in her win on the court, the tennis star said she used the criticism of naysayers to help propel her during the tight match against Sabalenka.

“Honestly, thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me. Like a month ago, I won a 500 title, and people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago, I won a 1000 title, and people were saying that was the biggest it was going to get,” said Gauff. “So three weeks later, I’m here with the trophy right now … I tried my best to carry this with grace, and I’ve been doing my best, so honestly, to those who thought [they] were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. And now I’m really burning so bright right now.”

Ahead of the big match, Gauff reflected on the many comparisons fans have drawn between her and Serena Williams. “Serena is Serena. She’s the GOAT. I’d hope to do half of what she did. But I’m not gonna compare myself to her,” she told ESPN. “She’s my idol,” Gauff continued. “The only regret I’ll have for the rest of my life is not being able to play her. There were so many tournaments where if we won an extra round and didn’t lose, I would’ve played her. But I’m still happy to just be a product of her legacy and be out here for American tennis.”

Serena stepped away from her storied tennis career in 2022 following her loss at the US Open. At 41, she remains one of the most decorated athletes to step foot on the court. Among her accolades are 23 Grand Slam titles and seven Wimbledon titles.