Bill Simons
New York
COCO ON KAMALA: Coco Gauff’s grandmother was a civil rights hero who was the first Black girl to integrate Florida’s Seacrest High School. She always encouraged Coco to speak her truth, and, in 2020 Gauff gave an astounding impromptu speech on racial justice. Since then, the 20-year-old has spoken out against gun violence, banning books, restricting history courses and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.
In New York, a reporter asked her, “We’re in the Billie Jean King Tennis Center. A hundred fifty yards away there’s a statue of Althea Gibson, and this stadium is named after a man [Arthur Ashe] who acted boldly. In our country…an African American woman has just been nominated for the presidency. Your thoughts?”
Coco replied, “I think it is really incredible. No matter who you’re voting for, who you stand for, it is really incredible to see how far this country has come [especially] people of color, Black people in general.
It’s really inspiring to see someone on that ballot. It takes the work of many others to pave the way. I’m excited that I’m able to see this in my lifetime, because I know many others didn’t get that chance.”
When asked what she would ask Harris if they met, Coco replied, “I’d ask her what her personal story growing up was and how she got to this point in her life…I know her mother was an immigrant…It’s kind of crazy to see how a person can be, like, one of us and then become the president of the United States – or vice president of the United States.”
Often open and fun-loving, Coco went on to admit that, “As a super young kid, like four or five…there was a thought in my head that I would be the next president or the Queen of England or something crazy like that. Then you get older and you realize reality is not like that.”
CALIFORNIA TAKES A BIG BITE OF THE BIG APPLE: After the stunning upset wins of 16-year-old Iva Jovic and the resurgent Brandon Nakashima, along with another victory by Taylor Fritz, backers of California tennis gleefully claimed that this was the best US Open opening day in memory. Then again, Fresno native Sloane Stephens suffered a devastating loss.
THIEM’S TIME IS UP: The world is yours. You’re on top. Then, in a flash, all can all vanish. Just ask Dominic Thiem.
It seems just yesterday that the Austrian was flying high. Not only did he win the 2020 US Open, he reached the 2018 and 2019 French Open finals and the 2020 Aussie Open final. With his flowing power off of both wings and his feathery speed, he impressed even in defeat. And when it came to battling the Big 3, no one did it better than Domi. Incredibly, he dominated Federer 5-2. He was just 5-7 against Djokovic and was 6-10 versus Rafa. Overall he has a 16-19 against the Big 3. That’s just bonkers.
But he wanted to do even better and he pushed himself until his body rebelled. Thiem confided that his “doctors have told me that I broke my wrist because of my effort to reach the level of the Big 3.”
After his devastating injury, the humble, beloved warrior never managed to regain his elite form. Today, Ben Shelton, who beat Thiem, put it all in perspective: “This is a game that’s unforgiving. Things can change quick. You can be at the top of the game…[but] your body doesn’t hold up or some freak accident happens. Injuries happen all the time. Tennis isn’t forever. That’s one thing to learn and take away. Obviously [Dominic] still had a career that a lot of people dream about…so definitely be grateful for every moment.”
Today Thiem had few good moments. He was quickly dismissed by a younger lion. Thiem will play his last tourney in Vienna in October, but this was his last Slam match. Not surprisingly, he was quick to remember the soaring joy tennis can provide. “The thing I’ll miss the most,” he said, “is this feeling after winning a great match. It’s not really comparable to anything else. You don’t really get this feeling…in life outside of tennis, because it’s a real high. It’s like being on drugs.”
Dominic wouldn’t say who the toughest player he’d ever played was – Nole, Roger or Rafa. But he recalled, “I had really legendary matches against… the best players in history. Each of them is really unique…I had matches where I was winning…I also had matches against each of them where I didn’t have any chance and where they made me look like almost a beginner.”
Thiem did say that the older he got, the tougher it was. But the greatest player in Austrian history should have a sunny future. He’s planning a new career in solar technology.
Still, we can’t help asking, “What if?”
CALL ME COCO: A European writer asked Ben Shelton why his friend Coco Gauff is so appealing. We thought he’d talk about her charisma, or maybe her athleticism. But he said, “First of all, the name is Coco, right? It’s something that sticks in your mind. I mean, shout-out to Corey and Candi Gauff, because I think the name is half of it. It’s a name that you remember.
“Then, yeah, she’s charismatic, such a great athlete, with so many qualities out there on the court that…[She] resembles a male player, the way she moves, the way that she defends. You see something from her that’s special and different…That’s something that the people love.”
Inside Tennis then followed up and asked Gauff what it was like living her life with such a fun, distinctive name. She replied, “My real name is Cori. Every time I check into hotels or at the airport, people look at my ID and sometimes will recognize me and they’ll be like, ‘Wait, are you Coco?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s just a nickname.’ I’m not somebody that looks like her.
“At the hotel, people will sometimes say, ‘We don’t have your room.’ I’m like, ‘It’s probably under Coco, not Cori.’
“My dad’s name is Corey, and my dad and I didn’t want to be confused in the house when my mom was yelling at one of us.
My aunt says she came up with calling me Coco. But then my dad said when he was younger people used to call me Co. Then he was like, ‘I’ll call my daughter Coco.’ I don’t know which story is actually true, but they both get pretty mad if I don’t say both of them.”
Then as Coco left the press room, Inside Tennis got the scoop of the year. We asked her, “Hey, do you actually like cocoa?” She replied, “Yeah. I like it.”
BTW: there is a long history of tennis parents choosing names for their kids. For instance, Federer’s mom and dad chose the name Roger because they wanted it to be easily understood in English. And Martina Hingis’s parents selected her name because they were inspired by Navratilova.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK: US Open fans can buy a Taylor Fritz signature spicy margarita. But Taylor quipped that, “I normally need a girlie sugary Starbucks drink. I like a caramel latte.”
GROOMING REVEAL OF THE DAY: Taylor Fritz told all, saying, “I don’t shampoo or condition often. I prefer to do it when I take a couple days off because my hair becomes just really uncontrollable.”
CAN COURT’S CURSE BE BROKEN? JUST WONDERING: Will Novak Djokovic break the “Margaret Court Curse?” The iconic but often controversial Aussie holds the record of 24 singles Slam wins. The supposedly unstoppable Serena Williams won her 23rd Slam in 2017 at the Australian Open. Everyone presumed she would soon waltz her way to another Slam title and equal Court’s mark. She played 15 slams after that but faltered each time.
Court’s record remained untouched until Djokovic equaled it by winning the 2023 US Open. Since then, Novak has fallen short at three Slams. Now tennis is wondering whether the Serb will at last break Court’s curse in New York. He has a pretty good draw.
If Novak doesn’t win in New York, this will be the first year since 2002 that no member of the ATP’s iconic Big 3 will have won a major.
VIVA IVA: Teen wonder Iva Jovic says she likes to strike early on the court. No kidding. The 16-year old, who won the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior doubles, continued her remarkable record. The impressive power baseliner who has braces on her teeth and will have at least $140,000 in the bank after the Open downed the Polish veteran Magda Linette, who is 42 in the world, 6-4, 6-3 .
A product of the Jack Kramer Club in Rolling Hills Estates where she works with coach Peter Smith, Jovic is the youngest player in the draw. She speaks with pride of the extraordinary heritage at her club, where Tracy Austin also offers support.
Iva began humbly when she started playing with her sister at an apartment complex in Torrance. She said she “was surprised and yet not surprised” by her win. As for her goal in tennis, she shared that she simply wants to improve her game. The product of parents who are Serbian and Croatian, she admits she’s never really spoken with Novak Djokovic, and the selfie she has with him isn’t that great. Iva next faces No. 29 Ekaterina Alexandrova from Russia or Tomova Viktoriya of Bulgaria.
BRANDON RUINS RUNE: San Diegan Brandon Nakashima continued his extraordinary comeback summer by scoring the most stunning upset of the Open so far. The No. 50 in the world, who recently downed both Taylor Fritz. Tommy Paul and Frenchman Arthur Fils, used his money backhand and adept serving to dismiss Denmark’s Holger Rune, No. 15, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. Brandon gave credit to his new coaching team and said his improved confidence and more aggressive play were at the core of his surge.
NO MAN, NOT EVEN A ROYAL KNIGHT, IS BIGGER THAN THE GAME: When asked about what the US Open felt like this year without the presence of Sir Andy Murray, Brit Emma Raducanu was candid, saying, “It doesn’t feel different at all.” Ouch!
She explained, “Tennis is unforgiving…No matter who you are, it just moves on…It’s fast-paced, like life – it’s old news the next day.”
JUST WONDERING: How will Jannik Sinner’s two drug test failures affect his considerable brand? Will they impact the $158 million contract he recently signed with Nike?
SWEET CAROLINE: Right after she won the Australian Open in 2018, the speakers at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena began blasting Neil Diamond’s pop classic, “Sweet Caroline.” It was a sweet moment. And Friday a reporter asked Caroline Wozniacki what it was like to have such an upbeat song that celebrated her name. The Danish veteran smiled and said how much she loves the anthem and that she and her team have a ritual: whenever they hear it they have to down a shot.
ALEXANDER THE NOT SO GREAT: Alex Michelsen is big, he’s personable, he’s powerful – and he’s still a boy. The frustrated 20-year-old launched a ball towards the wall during the final in Winston-Salem, but it careened into the stands and grazed a lady’s shoulder. When Novak Djokovic blasted a ball to the back wall of the 2020 US Open, it hit a lineswoman in the neck. She fell down in a heap and the Serb was booted out. But Michelsen was lucky. He was allowed to continue to play.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S SURGE: World No. 11 Taylor Fritz has long been Southern California’s top player and is also the best in America.
So, Inside Tennis asked him about the recent surge by SoCal players. Alex Michelsen reached the Newport and Winston-Salem finals, and is now No. 49. Brandon Nakashima, who beat Taylor in Cincy, is making a solid comeback. Zachary Svajda again got a US Open wildcard, as did Learner Tien – for the third straight time. Tien won four SoCal Pro Series titles and went on a 32-0 run this summer. Fritz said that he was proud of the section, even though it’s a small part of the country and, in particular, he noted that he, Nakashima and Svajda are all from San Diego.
AMERICA WATCH: Wildcard Amanda Anisimova lost in three sets to the Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng. No. 14 Madison Keys and unseeded Peyton Stearns and Taylor Townsend posted straight-set wins.
Taylor Fritz won in three sets, and Mitchell Krueger beat Hugo Grenier. Reilly Opelka fell to No. 18 Lorenzo Musetti in four sets.
Also reporting; Vinay Venkatesh
