TENNIS

Photo Credit: LAPRESSE

Novak Djokovic emerged from an exhilarating and exhausting U.S. Open final with a 24th Grand Slam title on Sunday night, using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that was more closely contested than the straight-set score indicated.

Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, moved one major singles title in front of Serena Williams to become the first player to win 24 in the Open era, which began in 1968. Margaret Court also collected a total of 24, but 13 of those came before professionals were admitted to the Slam events.

Photo Credit: LAPRESSE

The 2023 US Open will forever be etched in history, and at the heart of this year's tennis spectacle is the undeniable star power of Coco Gauff. With her resounding victory in the women's final against Aryna Sabalenka, Coco, at just 19 years old, has achieved a historic feat, becoming the first American teenager to conquer the US Open since the legendary Serena Williams did so at the tender age of 17 in 1999. While her meteoric rise in the tennis world has been nothing short of remarkable, there's more to Coco Gauff than her triumphs on the court. Let's delve into the fascinating life of this tennis sensation when she's not smashing forehands and acing opponents.

Photo Credit: Charles Krupa

Coco Gauff never wavered one bit Thursday night. Not when match point after match point went by the wayside. Not during a 40-shot exchange that ultimately helped decide the outcome. And not, most distracting of all, when her U.S. Open semifinal against Karolina Muchova was interrupted for 50 minutes by environmental activists — one of whom glued his bare feet to the concrete floor in the stands.

It’s been rather obvious for quite some time that Gauff is no ordinary teenager. Now she is one win away from becoming a Grand Slam champion.

Gauff, a 19-year-old from Florida, reached her first final at Flushing Meadows by defeating Muchova 6-4, 7-5 on what was anything but an ordinary evening.

Photo Credit: LAPRESSE

Everyone should know by now to never count out Novak Djokovic. No matter how big a deficit he faces. No matter how poorly he might be playing.

And so it made sense that Djokovic would manage to come all the way back from a two-set deficit to beat Laslo Djere 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in the third round of the U.S. Open, avoiding what would have been his earliest exit there since 2006.

"The message is sent to the rest of the field, obviously, that I'm still able to play five sets, deep (into the) night. Coming from two sets down always sends a strong message to future opponents," said Djokovic, who next faces Borna Gojo, a 25-year-old qualifier from Croatia making his U.S. Open debut.

Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II

It’s become a stink at the U.S. Open: a pungent marijuana smell that wafted over an outer court, clouded the concentration of one of the world’s top players and left the impression there’s no place left to escape the unofficial scent of the city.

While the exact source of the smell remained a mystery Tuesday, one thing was clear: Court 17, where eighth-seeded Maria Sakkari complained about an overwhelming whiff of pot during her first-round loss, has become notorious among players in recent years for its distinctive, unmistakable odor.