The U.S. Open hosted its Mens’ Championship Match between Novak Djokovic and Danil Medvedev on September 10, concluding a nearly two-week run of grueling competition between the world’s most skilled tennis players. Hosted annually in Queens, New York, the tournament is one of the largest athletic competitions in the nation.
This year’s tournament was particularly exciting. Nineteen year-old Coco Gauff claimed the U.S. Open women’s title, making her the youngest American to win since Serena Williams in 1999. Gauff’s nail-biting victory over Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka proved her one to be of the sport’s most promising stars.
The victory’s significance was not lost on Hotchkiss students. “It was so inspiring to see someone who looks like me winning such a prestigious competition,” said Destiny Herd ’26. “It encourages me to pursue excellence in the things I am passionate about.”
Tennis player Natalie Klemm ’26 was similarly inspired. “It was so cool to witness what was definitely a historic moment in tennis,” she said. “Coco is such an amazing role model, both on and off the court. It’s incredible how she was able to accomplish so much at such a young age. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”
In the men’s singles final, 36-year-old Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev to win his record-setting fourth U.S. Open Title. Medvedev beat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz two days before, preventing a repeat of the Alcaraz-Djokovic 2022 matchup.
The tournament saw particularly strong performances by American players. Three Americans—Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Ben Shelton—advanced to the quarterfinals of the men’s draw, while seven reached the third round of women’s singles. Semi-finalist Madison Keys barely missed out on fighting for a title after losing her match to Sabalenka.
The U.S. Open also marked a third consecutive doubles title for American Rajeev Ram and British partner Joe Salisbury. Coupled with Gauff’s historic win, their victory contributed to record-breaking stats for American players.
Mr. Edgar Giffenig, head coach of Boys Varsity Tennis and director of the school’s tennis program, found this success telling of changing dynamics in the game. “Nowadays, everybody in the world is competing on an even ground,” said Giffenig. “There were a lot of younger players doing well. There was a long time where the young kids couldn’t really compete against the top players. Now it’s definitely changing.”
