Undeterred by a long break due to a protest by environmental activists, American tennis star Coco Gauff has reached the final of the US Open for the first time and will meet Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.
The 19-year-old Gauff defeated Karolina Muchova from the Czech Republic 6:4, 7:5 on Thursday evening (local time). The first semi-final was interrupted for almost 50 minutes because several environmental activists disrupted the game with shouts and one of them stuck himself to the floor of the stands.
“I treated it like a rain break. We have so many breaks in tennis”said Gauff coolly on “ESPN”. It was only difficult because the length of the compulsory break could not be foreseen. “The crazy thing is – I said this morning: I bet there will be a climate change protest in the final. I didn’t think it would be in the semi-final.” In a high-class game at the end, Gauff converted her sixth match point after more than two hours.
Taken away in handcuffs
With the score at 6:4, 1:0 for Gauff, environmental activists shouted slogans in the upper tier of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Pictures showed that they had T-shirts with the prints “End Fossil Fuels” and the group “Extinction Rebellion”. “We don’t want to harm the athletes. We have nothing against sport”said one of the activists to the AP news agency. From his perspective, the US Open has sponsorship deals with companies that contribute to global warming. You want “To draw attention to the problem that there will no longer be tennis for anyone in the world to enjoy.”
Initially, according to the organizers in a statement, three people were taken away. “When the security forces arrived, a person with bare feet was stuck to the ground”said tournament director Stacey Allaster on “ESPN,” explaining the long interruption.
New York police and medical personnel were necessary to remove the person from the stadium, it said. The man was taken away in handcuffs by police officers. All four people were in police custody, according to organizers.
Spectators chant: “Kick her out”
In the meantime there was an announcement in the stadium that… “a problem in the audience area” resolved and the game should be continued as quickly as possible. Gauff first practiced a few serves, Muchova had treatment. Both players then went into the catacombs of the largest tennis stadium in the world. Numerous spectators chanted in the direction of the protesters: “Kick her out.”
After almost 45 minutes, the players came back onto the pitch to the cheers of the spectators and warmed up again. They resumed the game at 8:55 p.m. (local time) with a break of almost 50 minutes.
When the score was 5:3 in the second set, Gauff earned her first match point. Muchova fended off a total of five chances to win the crowd favorite, some spectacularly – until the American was allowed to celebrate. She formed a heart with her hands towards the fans. “At some points it was so loud, I don’t know if my ears are okay”Gauff joked: “This is crazy. I watched the tournament growing up, so it means a lot to me. I hope you come back and support me on Saturday.”