US Open final between Gauff and Sabalenka, semi-final is halted for almost an hour due to climate protest

Tennis players Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka play the final of the US Open. Gauff and Sabalenka reached the final on the night from Thursday to Friday at the expense of the Czech Karolina Muchova (6-4, 7-5) and the American Madison Keys (0-6, 7-6, 7-6), respectively. The final of the Grand Slam tournament will take place this Saturday in New York.

For the 19-year-old Gauff, the US Open final will be the second Grand Slam final in her young career. Last year Gauff, who has been known as a super talent for a number of years, lost the final of Roland Garros. It was not easy against Muchova: Gauff only struck in her sixth match point. After a rally of forty strokes, she finished it off with a forehand.

The semi-final between Gauff and Muchova was halted for fifty minutes due to a climate protest by four spectators. One of them had glued itself to the stands and could only be removed with difficulty. In addition, they shouted slogans such as “end fossil fuels”.

Final Sabalenka

Sabalenka prevented the final between two American tennis players. Keys started very strongly and briefly took the lead in the third set, but Sabalenka came back strongly. Ultimately, she won the match after a super tiebreak. Sabalenka, number two in the world, already won the Australian Open earlier this year.

Players have complained several times in recent weeks about the heat and humidity in New York – some games were played in 37 degrees. Tennis players also tried to cool themselves with fans. The temperature was not too bad during the semi-finals, which were finished in the evening; it was about twenty degrees.

ttn-32