[Courier] This is where stars are born,
where dreams are realized,
where you're playing
for tennis immortality.
Playing at the U.S. Open,
being an American player,
there's nothing like it in the sport.
Oh, baby. Take me back.
[Osaka] Winning a Slam changes your life.
I think if you're an American
winning the U.S. Open, it's double.
You'll burst into
a different echelon in the sport.
It's a tremendous privilege.
But it's the highest level of pressure.
[Pegula] Being a top ranked American,
the stakes are higher.
You're in the U.S.,
they wanna see Americans win.
[Gauff] In New York,
I feel like winning means even more.
[Courier] Coming into
this year's U.S. Open,
things are looking good for the Americans.
It feels like
we're emerging again as a power.
The top of the pack in the men's game...
I was trying to get my shit right.
[Courier] You've got Tiafoe, Tommy Paul
and Taylor Fritz poised.
They should be ready
to do something special.
Who's going to be the guy to do it?
[Paul] There's a lot of
tension around Americans
not winning a Slam for over 20 years now.
This is what
I've trained my whole life for.
[Fritz] Myself, Tommy and Frances,
something exciting has been happening.
But I want to be
the one of us that does it.
This time, somebody's going to do it
really soon. I want that to be me.
You gotta be ready for the moment,
be willing to die for it.
[Paul] That's what
I'm talking about right there.
Look at that beautiful French toast.
[Stine chuckles]
Tommy loves that right there.
[Paul] Ooh, la, la!
- That's good stuff.
- [Stine] Thank you.
- Really good.
- Appreciate that.
[Paul] We keep it healthy before the Open.
[Stine chuckles]
[Paul] Being in the top 20 now
is massive for me.
It sets you up well to keep moving up.
If we recap the year,
it has been pretty good.
Consistent on hard court.
It's a culmination
of putting things together
over the last few years, you know?
- Let's go!
- [umpire] Game.
[commentator]
Tommy Paul is in a major semi-final
for the very first time in his career.
[Paul] To be in the semi-finals
of the Slam was amazing.
A really big deal.
Now, I believe in myself.
I'm gonna make it.
[Stine] When we started,
Tommy was outside top 100.
You're four spots from being top-ten now.
Foe's number ten, right?
Foe's number ten, but you gotta do better.
You gotta outperform the other guys.
In the plan, he wins the Slam.
It would be nice to win it.
[Paul] It'll fully change
anyone's life, winning a Slam.
And that's my goal.
[Tiafoe] Last year, I was k*lling it.
Nobody knew me.
This year, I come
and it's totally different.
[woman] Happy to see you!
- How you doing?
- [woman] Man of the hour.
[Tiafoe] People look at you
as a big deal, an inspiration...
I feel like the entire country is in your
heart when you get out on the court.
- It is going to explode.
- Yeah.
Long time been a fan of yours.
Yeah, we gonna do it.
No doubt. Appreciate you.
[Tiafoe] Everything you dedicate
to the game,
you're reaping full benefits.
Great feeling.
- [Sabalenka] I'm going to be so Barbie.
- [woman exclaims]
- [man] It looks amazing.
- I like it.
[woman] Look at her!
I think I'll see a lot of girls looking.
- They're all like "Yeah."
- [man] Will not be happy.
- [stylist] Flick your ponytail.
- [Sabalenka laughing]
I'm gonna have to put this on.
- [stylist] So fire. God.
- [man] So fire.
Do you wanna try your kit on?
- Let's put the whole thing on.
- All right. Let's go.
[Tiafoe] You gotta
evolve with who you've become.
- [stylist] It's Foe time, baby!
- Foe time.
[stylist] He's a superhero.
Ooh. That's hard.
[Tiafoe] I feel confident.
I feel a lot more
like I'm supposed to be here.
[yelling triumphantly]
Been a good year.
[commentator] A huge moment
for Frances Tiafoe.
[Tiafoe] I made the semis at Masters.
[commentator] Frances Tiafoe
is the 2023 Houston champion.
[Tiafoe] Won a couple titles.
[commentator] Frances Tiafoe's
the champion at Stuttgart.
[Tiafoe] I got in the top-ten.
That was such a big milestone.
[commentator] It was a big moment
of magic from the Big Foe.
[Tiafoe] It kind of changes
your whole mindset.
Now, this is where it counts.
I gotta tighten it
a little more for a Slam.
Awesome.
[Tiafoe] I believe I can do it.
Arms tired now.
[Courier] Frances and Tommy
had a great season.
Taylor Fritz has had an interesting year.
There's been disappointment at the majors
for him, certainly for his expectations.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] A disappointing end
for Taylor Fritz.
[Fritz] Over the past year,
what hasn't been clicking is Grand Slams.
- [Fritz] How you doing?
- [man] Good!
Ladies and gentlemen,
it's a true honor to be here
to celebrate Taylor,
our number one ranked player.
[Fritz] Expectations I put on myself
have always been very high,
but the expectations are even higher now.
Thank you for carrying
our country on your back.
- Thanks. Cheers.
- Cheers.
You don't want
to see a repeat of last year.
I was playing great tennis.
I could have had a really big result.
- [crowd groans]
- [umpire speaks indistinctly]
[Fritz] But I lost first round.
So it was over before it started.
How long do you stay in New York?
Until I lose. Then I go home.
- That's no good, you shouldn't say that.
- Yeah, it's fine.
[Fritz] This year I'm coming in
mentally ready to go.
I am still the number one American.
Tommy and Frances are right behind me.
We all want to be the first one
to win a Grand Slam,
but I want it so bad,
I can't imagine it not being me.
[commentator]
It is day one of the 2023 U.S. Open.
[woman] Yeah!
[Osaka] When you're in New York
during the Open,
it feels like a huge event
the whole city is a part of,
and you feel that energy.
[commentator 1] The players start coming
into the Open on the American hard courts.
[man] You good?
[commentator 2]
There are five American men
seeded at this year's U.S. Open
for the first time since 2004.
[Tiafoe] The games have begun.
[commentator 3] Madison Keys,
the third best-ranked American,
Pegula the World #3,
Coco Gauff, world #6.
[commentator 4] These young Americans
have an opportunity here.
[Tiafoe] Fritz, how many days you at home?
You've played every calendar week.
[Fritz] Yes. It's been a lot this year.
I don't even know.
I saw Morgan and she's like,
"Are you taking the helicopter too?"
Ayan was like "helicopter?"
I felt like
such a f*cking idiot after I lost.
I'm not taking the helicopter again.
[Tiafoe] Man, well said.
[laughs]
[Paul] Showing up to the Open,
it's definitely different this year.
Are you nervous?
No. I think it's gonna go great.
This is like my dynamic warm up
for my practice today.
[Paul] It's amazing having Paige here.
We met at the Open last year
and things have been great.
She's super supportive.
I think they'll be pumped
that you're just there, you know.
[Lorenze] Hi, guys!
- Did you guys get your gift bags?
- [all] Yeah!
[Lorenze] I am a businesswoman.
So I am in this public sphere.
That is my work.
- [girl] We love you!
- [Lorenze] But your outfit!
[Lorenze] Tommy has always
wanted to be a top American player,
but he doesn't really thrive
off of the media attention.
Wow, it's like a sorority out here.
Let's get you guys in the store.
I know you've been waiting.
[Lorenze] I kept saying,
"This is a good thing.
Just try to enjoy being here,
and getting the recognition you deserve."
- Thank you so much!
- Yeah. No problem.
[Paul] There's more attention this year.
[Paul] Yeah, sure.
[Paul] Comes with the job
if I want to be at the top of the game.
Stuff I gotta do.
Tennis forever.
- Nice.
- [girl] All right, and this is...
It gets overwhelming,
but overall, it's good.
The major difference this year is
a lot of people are
super excited about American tennis.
Tennis fans in the States,
they only care
if the Americans are winning.
If they're losing,
they don't come out and watch.
Now that more Americans are winning,
they're actually excited.
[crowd squealing]
[whooping]
[Courier] Tommy, Taylor, Frances,
it's prime time for them.
Twenty-five, 26 years old.
These guys are ready to make their move.
So it's really critical
to manage their emotional energy,
because it can be very off-putting
if you can't handle
all of the eyeballs on you.
You're a rock star, bro.
You know how it is, bro.
Ain't gotta tell you how it is.
The next American that wins a major
is going to be a major star.
[commentator] The U.S. #1
cruises into round two.
I wasn't making any mistakes.
I'm ready and locked in.
I see a path to win the titles
and I want to get to that point.
[umpire] Game, set, match, Tiafoe.
[reporter] Lot of Americans
on your half of the draw.
We all grew up together,
know each other well,
so hopefully we all keep going.
[commentator 1] Americans have had
some time of it this tournament.
[commentator 2] Keys, Pegula and Gauff
into the women's singles fourth round.
[Gauff] It's just really exciting
for America to see the competitiveness
between the countrymen
and us all doing well.
[commentator]
Tommy Paul into the fourth round.
There's better energy
around the grounds this year.
Everyone's pretty excited
about American tennis so...
[commentator 1]
The 20-year-old American Ben Shelton
is into the fourth round.
[commentator 2] You have four Americans
in the fourth round.
That's the first time
it's happened since 2011.
[commentator 3] So you're going to
play a fellow American, Tommy Paul.
Yep. He's been on a tear lately,
so I'm ready for a w*r,
but I'm excited for the atmosphere.
[producer] Tell me about Ben Shelton.
What do you want to know?
[man] Bryan, stay in your half, please?
Stay on your half of the court, please.
[Paul] Playing someone 40 in the world
in round 16 of the Open,
those are big opportunities.
He's one of the harder serves
to return on the tour for sure,
but I'm confident
off of my win in Australia.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Today, it's Tommy Paul
who reigns against Ben Shelton.
[Paul] Competing is what I love doing.
I want to win while I'm doing it.
[commentator] Big occasion
for these two Americans at the U.S. Open,
playing for a spot in the quarter-final,
potentially with Frances Tiafoe.
This guy is not going to have
his U.S. Open run stop now. Is he?
Since forever, me and Foe have been
talking about playing
each other in the U.S. Open.
We both want to do
that match up really bad.
[Stine] Hey.
Remember when he comes forward,
pass aggressively. Okay?
Play with pace
and if you don't have a good one,
hit it right at his throat.
[announcer]
From the United States, Ben Shelton.
[Paul] As an American player,
we wanna go compete on the biggest stages.
[announcer] The number 14 seed,
Tommy Paul.
[Paul]
When you walk out, no feeling like it.
It's amazing.
[commentator 1] Remarkable setting
here in Arthur Ashe Stadium Court.
Two Americans squaring off
for a spot in the final eight.
[umpire] First set. Play.
[Shelton grunts]
- [crowd exclaims]
- [commentator 2] Good start for Paul.
Way to go, T. Way to go, TP.
[Paul] When playing well, you feel
like you're moving through the court
like a fish in water.
[crowd cheering]
Let's go, Tommy!
[commentator 1] Tommy Paul
looking very comfortable
on the world's biggest tennis stage.
[Paul] I love the feeling of winning.
I'm not scared
that I'm gonna lose this match.
[commentator 2] Great shot from Shelton.
[Paul] But a lot of matches
are like roller coasters.
One point can flip a match.
- [commentator 2] Brilliant from Shelton.
- [umpire] Game.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 1]
Shelton's building this lead here.
[Paul] Things just went his way
really fast.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 1]
It's out. And Shelton got the opening set.
Just you and you. Let's go, bud.
[Paul] You can feel momentum swing.
[crowd groans]
[Paul] You're not playing well
and you're just overthinking everything.
This is not our Tommy Paul.
[crowd groans]
[umpire] Out!
[commentator 1] Shelton, two sets to love.
Look to create, T.
Look to create. Let's go.
[Paul] I need to find some energy.
I gotta get back in the match.
[umpire] Time!
[commentator 1] Shelton is one set away
from pulling off the upset here
against his countryman, Tommy Paul.
[umpire] Game.
Great play, Tommy.
[Paul] I'm playing somebody
who is ranked way below me.
- [umpire] Game!
- [crowd cheering]
[Paul] I just want to
find my game and play.
- [umpire] Game.
- [crowd cheering]
[commentator 1]
And Tommy Paul, incredible run of games.
Incredible run of play.
[Paul] I feel a big-time momentum shift.
- [umpire] Game.
- [commentator 1] Paul takes the set.
And we're headed to a fourth.
Let's go, Tommy! Let's go!
[umpire] Time!
[commentator 2]
Paul and Shelton in a great battle.
[Paul] My confidence is really high now.
I feel like I'm ready for a five-set w*r.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 2]
Tommy Paul! What an incredible move.
Let's go, Tommy!
[crowd groans]
[commentator 2] Wow.
Right into the gut there.
Wow. Wow.
Are you kidding me?
[commentator 1]
How do you defend against that?
That was self-preservation,
Can you stop this guy
when he's serving like this?
[commentator 2] Absolutely not.
Fastest serve of the tournament.
f*cking hell.
[Paul] A lot of action on his serve.
Super high-energy. It's hard to get back.
[commentator 1] This is
a dangerous customer with his serve.
It's really good.
[commentator 1] Here is a match point.
[umpire] Out!
- Game, set, match, Shelton.
- [crowd cheering]
Okay.
[Paul] That was really shitty.
Like... bad. Really bad.
Losing sucks,
'cause when you lose, it's all on you.
[Courier] Tennis, like every other sport,
has a new crop of players
that enter the fray every year.
[Paul] Good stuff, man. Good luck.
[Courier] That machine keeps turning.
Good job, dude. Keep going.
Thanks.
[Courier] Someone great
is coming into the scene.
You gotta be ready for it.
There is no mercy out there.
That was crazy.
As a whole, I'm not even
close to satisfied with the year.
Dude, I just want
to be in my house so bad.
[Paul] You can have a great year,
but you look back,
and you look at the opportunities missed,
not the opportunities
that you took, you know?
All right. See you guys next time.
[Stine] You all set?
[Courier] When the U.S. Open begins,
the focus is on Tommy, Frances and Taylor.
And then you have this kid
who bursts out of nowhere,
which changes everything.
[Bryan] You played so well.
Once you hit your stride,
you were next-level.
Top-level, top-shelf.
He had nothing.
Time to go a little deeper.
Know what I mean?
[Shelton] Yeah.
So intimidating. It scares them to death.
Yeah.
Ben Shelton is raw talent and ambition.
He doesn't come into the U.S. Open
with pressure or celebrity, fame.
He is fearless.
My name is Ben Shelton. I'm 20 years old.
And I've been on tour
a little over a year.
[producer]
Where does Ben Shelton go from here?
Ben Shelton goes back to work.
There's people out in front of me.
So I want to push further.
I believe that
I do have a lot of confidence
to give some of the guys
at the top trouble.
[commentator 1]
Frances Tiafoe electrifying the locals
with a bit of wizardry.
[commentator 2] A point away
from another career milestone.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 3] Taylor Fritz
is a U.S. Open quarter-finalist
for the first time in his career.
[grunts]
[commentator 4] There it is!
Sabalenka advances
to the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open.
Huge moment for her.
[commentator 5] Match point!
Coco Gauff taking on
former World #1 Caroline Wozniacki.
[commentator 6] Gauff in three!
...in the quarters.
[commentator 5] What a performance.
[commentator 6] Djokovic moves on.
[commentator 7] He's through to
the second week in New York.
- [umpire] Fault!
- [crowd cheering]
[commentator 1] Madison Keys
takes out the top American player,
Jess Pegula.
[Pegula] I'm upset.
I just got my ass kicked.
But I'm just trying to stay
in a good mindset
and kind of take what I learned
from this year into next year.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 1] It's wide.
And it's victory for Frances Tiafoe.
[commentator 2] It's been
a great tournament for the Americans.
Lot to cheer for.
Frances, American tennis
is looking really great right now.
Your next match you play another American,
which is great news because
one of you will go to the semi-finals.
But Ben Shelton beat Tommy Paul earlier.
Just give me your thoughts
on playing Big Ben,
and how important
that is for the two of you.
Yeah, it's big. It's a big match.
He's going to be...
He's Bugs Bunny. He's got crazy energy.
And he's gonna come after me.
But I plan on being in the semis. Yeah.
[interviewer] Ladies and gentlemen,
through to the quarterfinals,
Frances Tiafoe.
[commentator]
I've heard nicknames for tennis players,
I've never heard "Bugs Bunny."
Congrats though. Good match.
Thanks brother, appreciate it.
This guy, 9:00 a.m. this morning.
[imitating Shelton]
"Bro, I wanna play you so bad."
"Dude, I wanna play you so bad."
How long I been saying this?
I don't talk to opponents, I can't lie.
I ain't talking to you.
- [Gauff] Ben got a better fit than you.
- What?
The shoes are nice.
- But everything else is...
- Hey, yeah.
Ben?
Don't show him some love, man.
Most people won't believe this,
but for the last six months,
I've been telling Frances,
"I want you at the U.S. Open."
"Come on, man. I want to see you on Ashe."
- [Gauff] Who was at your match today?
- Who was at my match?
- [Gauff] I know somebody was.
- Just my mom, my dad.
- [Gauff] Okay and?
- No. Nobody.
Frances gets more star power than...
- You and Serena almost at same level.
- [Tiafoe] What?
Your opening match,
Michelle, Barack Obama.
What are you saying, bro? Shut up.
I was like, "Oh, my God!
Frances Tiafoe! Big Foe!"
[giggles]
These young ones are different, dude.
I'm just trying to stay locked in,
stay in the moment.
I'm not worried about the stars,
you know what I mean?
You'll be on the court with them people.
- Good job.
- Congratulations.
Congratulations. I know
you're Big Foe, but...
- Bro, relax.
- I'm sorry.
I'm just trying to tell you, good job.
- Am I getting on your Instagram?
- Yeah.
Make sure you tag me.
[all laughing]
See you.
[Gauff] Obviously, I'm still
somewhat new to the scene.
So being surrounded with all these
incredible legends of the game
is really inspiring.
I still have more goals,
and bigger goals to accomplish,
and my attention
is definitely at the Open.
I'm focused on the next two weeks.
[host] Each generation inspires the next.
And for so many, despite her young age,
she's already
the shining light of her generation.
Please welcome Coco Gauff.
[audience applauding]
Thank you. [chuckles]
In Serena Williams, I watched someone
who dominated women's tennis
in a way no one else has ever had.
And more importantly,
I saw someone who looked like me
and helped me believe I could achieve
as I followed my own unique path.
It's been an incredible ride so far,
and I am very happy and grateful
to be a part of the WTA's future.
Thank you all.
[audience applauding]
[commentator] Who has had more attention
in the last month in tennis
than Coco Gauff?
Since Coco first came onto the scene
it was obvious that
she should be destined for greatness.
[Osaka] I played Coco
at the 2019 U.S. Open.
I just remember thinking
like, "Wow, she's special."
[Courier] Given Serena's
swan song a year before,
for Coco to come in and fill that void,
it really is like a fairy tale.
[commentator] Everybody's been
expecting the titles to come.
But that expectation brings huge pressure.
[Gauff] I'm still learning, and hopefully
keep pushing and making finals.
New York City's the city
where dreams are made.
- [Tiafoe] Is this the one, then?
- That's the cologne.
This is a diffuser.
- But they got "FT" on them.
- Uh-uh.
- That's dope.
- That's tough.
Frances Tiafoe.
[Broomfield laughs]
Frances Tiafoe don't pay for this.
Know what I mean?
Somebody in this group's gonna
be able to do something special
and finish the two weeks
with a trophy on Sunday.
I'm hoping I'm that guy.
I hope I'm that guy.
[man 1] Busy day in New York.
[man 2] Yeah. [chuckles]
[man 3] What point are you on, Mr. Foe?
[Tiafoe] 40-15.
[grunts]
[crowd groans]
[commentator] One pulled away for Djokovic
to give himself a two-set lead.
[Tiafoe] Mac keeps saying
Fritz has gotta dig deeper
than he's ever dug before in life.
You think the guy's not trying right now?
Guy's giving his absolute all.
[umpire] Out!
- [crowd cheering]
- [commentator] Djokovic breaks right back.
One game away.
Here we go. This game!
- Come on! Right here.
- Let's go!
Let's go. Come on!
[crowd erupts]
[commentator] Match point.
[grunts]
- [umpire] Game, set and match, Djokovic.
- [commentator] He knows how to win.
[umpire] Three sets to love.
[commentator]
Taylor Fritz still wants more.
Hopefully one of these days, he'll get it.
- How is he?
- He's all right.
Sort of disappointed. Obviously.
- Crazy.
- Yeah.
[Tiafoe] It seemed he was
second-guessing the entire match.
[Fawcett] Didn't serve his best.
[Tiafoe] If he served like normal,
he'd probably still be playing.
Go do your thing.
- Yessir. See you out there.
- See you out there.
[Fritz] I did a good job. In general.
[Russell] Considering 12 months ago,
we were in the same position...
- Yeah...
- ...know what I mean?
- Lying here with your shirt off.
- From this time last year.
[Russell] So,
we just have to keep building.
[Fritz] Novak's Novak.
He's the best player in history.
If you want to win the U.S. Open
or any of these big tournaments,
you gotta go through him.
Next year, you know, I can take...
I've established myself in the top ten,
I think next year
I can take a big step up.
We were one and two for a while now and...
Taylor's out.
You know, everyone's looking at me.
"Is Frances going to be the guy?"
I do think there will be
an American Grand Slam Champion.
I want that to be me.
- [Broomfield] Think he'll be nice?
- [Tiafoe] Bieber?
- He wants to meet us. So, why not, right?
- Meet you.
[indistinct chatter]
He's been my celebrity crush.
- [Tiafoe] Your celebrity crush?
- Yeah.
You can stay here then.
Know what I'm saying?
- [giggling] Oh, my gosh.
- [Tiafoe] Yeah.
[Broomfield] You're not Canadian.
This is a big ordeal right now.
The U.S. Open last year
changed everything. Everything.
I think now he is
actually, like, a celebrity,
which is so weird.
No, this is insane.
You've never seen me this excited
- to meet anyone. Never.
- [Tiafoe] No.
[Broomfield] He has a new Rolodex
of people in his phone.
Everyone comes to his matches now.
[Broomfield] I'm going to cry.
[Broomfield] It's insane what
that tournament did for him and his life.
What's up, man?
This is my girlfriend.
Hi, nice to meet you.
[man] How are you?
We're all cheering for you.
[Tiafoe] Yeah.
[man] We're all cheering for you.
[Tiafoe] A lot's changed.
It's truly unbelievable.
Your brand becomes a brand.
It becomes pretty big,
so your agent's phone definitely busy.
It's crazy because, you know,
a lot of demands,
a lot of appearances you gotta do,
but, you know, I love it.
[man 1] Almost shut out, my boy.
[man 2] My guy, my guy! Okay, all right!
[Tiafoe] But ultimately,
my real focus is the Slams.
I'm getting over the line no matter what.
People want your spot.
[Shelton] If you told me a year ago
I would have been playing main draw
U.S. Open off my own ranking,
I wouldn't have believed you.
[crowd cheering]
[Courier] Ben is this fresh-faced kid
who's all optimism,
like a puppy dog running around
just excited to be in the room.
Why wouldn't he be?
[crowd applauding]
[Courier] This kid bursts out
of the college scene over a year ago
and has now already made
a major quarter-final.
The talent is unmistakable.
I like the feeling
of still being a normal kid.
Being able to hang out with my friends,
and act the same as I did two years ago
as a freshman in college
living in the dorms.
[Bryan] Ben's mom and I,
you know, super proud,
that he's just handling himself so well.
First off the court,
and then on the court.
Our hope for him is he would
continue to grow as a person,
and as a player out here on the tour.
[Shelton] I feel like
I've always been chasing people.
I like that feeling, though.
Of being able to come after
someone and be the underdog.
You know he's going
to come out with crazy energy,
and you gotta match his energy.
Make sure when it's like that,
whoever pushes through runs away with it.
Got it.
[man] Push. Yep.
- Let's go. Come on. Get it.
- [man 2] Take this.
[commentator] A very good evening
and warm welcome to Arthur Ashe Stadium
on what we hope
will be a very special night of tennis.
Two players with arguably as much
charisma as any out there currently.
[Shelton] I play my best tennis
when I'm locked in.
And I have that competitive fire
and belief going into a match.
It can be dangerous
if I'm too friendly on the court.
It's a tough balance playing
against friends and other Americans.
Can't be friends, man. It's done. Dead.
They're your friends,
but not really friends.
The things you want, they want.
They're in your way to get food.
[announcer]
New York, please welcome the players
for tonight's historic all-American
U.S. Open men's quarter-final.
From Atlanta, Georgia, Ben Shelton.
[announcer] From Hyattsville,
Maryland, Frances Tiafoe.
[commentator 1]
Two men carrying home hopes.
[umpire] Frances Tiafoe to serve.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 1] Nice play from Tiafoe.
[umpire] Game, Tiafoe.
Let's go!
[umpire] Game, Shelton.
- [umpire] Out!
- Yeah!
[umpire] Game, Shelton.
[commentator 1]
A break for the 20 year-old.
- Look what it means to him.
- Let's go!
[commentator 1] That is outrageous.
The 20-year-old takes charge
of this quarterfinal.
[Tiafoe] Very tough. He was the aggressor,
he was hurting me a lot,
and I was panicking.
- He is scared. Yeah. It's okay.
- He looks it.
He needs to posture,
show it for a while. Fake it.
Foe, come on!
[commentator 2] Let's see if Frances
gets that reset he needs here.
[umpire] Game, Tiafoe.
[commentator 1]
And we've got a match on our hands here.
[umpire] Game, second set, Tiafoe.
Way to f*cking compete!
- [umpire] Six games to three.
- Come on!
[Shelton] Foe really turned it up
a notch and kind of got on top of me.
[umpire] One set all.
[Tiafoe] I thought I did
a great job of mixing up my game.
[commentator 1] So, Ben Shelton
to get this third set underway.
[commentator 2] That could be
one of the best sh*ts of the match.
- [crowd cheering]
- [umpire] Game, Shelton.
[commentator 1] Shelton responds.
[umpire] Game, Tiafoe.
Come on.
[commentator 1]
The all-American battle is locked.
[umpire] Third set, tiebreak.
[commentator 1] This tiebreak is first
to seven points by a margin of two.
Only the strong survive out here.
Come on, Foe. Come on.
[Shelton] Foe's someone who competes hard.
I knew it was gonna be a battle.
[crowd groans]
- [commentator 2] This is incredible.
- Foe!
[umpire] Four-three.
- [crowd groans]
- [commentator 1] Oh, wow!
From a mile back, he's produced a stunner.
- Two set points for Shelton.
- [umpire] Six-four.
Fault!
[crowd groans]
[commentator 2] Let Frances back in.
Let's see how it plays out.
[umpire] Fault!
[crowd murmuring]
[commentator 1]
Now Frances Tiafoe has a set point.
[umpire] Tiafoe.
[crowd cheers]
[commentator 1]
This tiebreak has had a bit of everything.
[Tiafoe] He played some great points.
I played some loose points,
and you're in another battle.
No stress. You're all right.
- [crowd cheering]
- [umpire] Game, third set, Shelton.
[commentator 1]
Ben Shelton is one set away.
[Tiafoe] He got away from me quite quick.
This is unacceptable
for a player of my caliber right now.
Match point for Ben Shelton.
[umpire] Shelton.
[commentator 1] Ben Shelton
soars into the U.S. Open semi-finals.
[commentator 2] He's developing
into an amazing player
in front of our very eyes.
He's going to be a superstar.
[Tiafoe] I was very nervy.
I didn't play great at all.
Wasn't quite myself.
And I let him
kind of bully me around the court.
And he got me.
You know, I played it real cautious,
and he took some risks,
and he got his reward from it.
[Tiafoe] f*cking lost quarters of a Slam.
[Tiafoe] I can't believe I messed this up.
This could have been another crazy run.
This is what I care about.
What matters to me. My Grand Slams.
- It's fine.
- I know.
Could have really won this thing.
If I had played Novak,
it would've been crazy too.
Can't think about that.
It's only human.
[Tiafoe] It's tough to end on a match
like that. It's hard to swallow.
What a night. What a night.
Win in '24, man.
Good stuff, man.
- [Ben's grandma] I am so proud of you.
- Thank you. Thank you.
[Ben's grandma] Just keep it up, babe.
It's hard to believe that
I've accomplished that at 20 years old.
But I don't like
to put a ceiling on myself.
I want to continue to push forward.
Ready to compete at the highest level.
I don't want this to be my peak.
Hello.
[female fan] Good luck.
Thank you.
I am proud of you.
Thank you.
I just feel so uncomfortable,
because you're filming me now.
- But whatever, f*ck you.
- [cameraman laughs]
After winning the Australian Open,
I start to believe in myself more.
[male driver]
Put it in the speaker of the car.
No, I like it more
in the headphones, sorry.
[Sabalenka] I start to actually think
that I'm a top player
and that I'm actually good in tennis.
I really have this strong belief
that I can reach my goal.
I just want to feel it, to be World #1.
I mean
I had this chance already. [chuckles]
And I didn't make it, at the French Open.
[commentator]
Aryna Sabalenka has a match point.
If she wins the tournament,
she will be world #1.
[crowd gasps, cheers]
- [Sabalenka grunts]
- [umpire] Fault!
- [Sabalenka grunts]
- [umpire] Out!
[man] Shit.
[Sabalenka grunts]
[crowd groans, cheers]
[Sabalenka] I was really close.
I think I lost focus because
I was thinking of becoming World #1.
[Sabalenka straining]
[umpire] Out!
Game, set, match!
[Sabalenka] I had so many chances
and I just lost it.
It was painful, to be honest.
To be world number one,
you have to be consistently there.
That's why it makes it tough.
As it says,
"What doesn't k*ll us makes us stronger."
I'm getting really strong person.
Now at the U.S. Open,
I have another chance
to be number one in the world.
And I'm not going
to miss this opportunity.
The only thing I care about is to leave
the U.S. Open as Grand Slam winner
and as the World #1.
[commentator 1] It's been
a great tournament for the Americans.
A lot to cheer for,
for these U.S. fans tonight.
You win a semi-final,
and you're on the doorstep of greatness.
And people forget the runners-up.
It's win or nothing.
[commentator 2]
Ben Shelton is trying to extend
this glorious run he's already had.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 2] But he's playing this man.
And he's too good.
[crowd groans]
[commentator 2] Match point.
[Shelton grunts]
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 1]
It's Djokovic in the final!
[commentator 2] A straight sets win
against Ben Shelton.
[commentator 1]
Gotta hand it to him. 20 years old.
He wasn't intimidated by the moment.
He wasn't intimidated by his opponent.
[Shelton] Although I didn't
come out on top in the match,
I was proud of the way that I competed.
The U.S. Open pushed me
to work even harder.
To really see where I can get to,
come next U.S. Open.
[Courier] With Ben Shelton out,
Coco is the last chance for the Americans.
[commentator] Match point.
[umpire] Out!
Game, set, match!
[commentator] Coco Gauff!
The 19-year-old American
is in her first U.S. Open final!
So it is Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka
set for the women's final on Saturday.
[Stacy] Oh, my God. It's dead.
How does it feel to be here?
- It's amazing, but I'm not surprised.
- You're not surprised?
Think how many times
we've been so far behind,
and you still come back and win.
Yeah, that's true.
Aryna, I'd put you in a corner,
you're very good at saying,
"Oh, screw this."
So... Not surprised.
Yeah, I was like that.
By focusing on dreams,
and how much you want it,
creating even more problems,
I'm happy that finally I figure out
how to focus on the right things.
Best thing you can do
is just focus on yourself.
- It's true.
- Last time we lost,
- this time we won. Bravo.
- That's right. There you go.
Exactly.
[man laughs]
[Stacy]
My GPS wasn't working. I was driving.
[Courier] A 128 start.
[effort grunts]
[Courier] Only one leaves
with the undefeated record
and a piece of history.
If you want to be remembered in tennis,
you better have a cabinet full of majors.
Legacy is definitely really important.
No one really wants to be forgotten.
This one match can change your life.
[woman] We love you, Aryna!
[fans cheering]
[woman] We love you!
[Sabalenka] "I love you."
And then in the match...
- "Let's go, Coco!" [laughs]
- [producer laughs]
That's the reality.
But that's okay. That's okay.
I can handle it.
[Sabalenka] The final of the U.S. Open,
it's such a big tournament.
I have a Grand Slam. I know what to do.
Just trust myself
and just go without any fear.
[Gauff] I really believe that I have
the maturity and ability to do it.
The final's an incredible achievement,
but I still have more work to do.
[announcer] New York,
please welcome the players,
Coco Gauff!
And Aryna Sabalenka.
[commentator 1] This could be
some terrific championship match.
Absolutely packed house.
A lot of celebrities have come out to see
who is going to take
their first U.S. Open.
[umpire] First set, Coco Gauff to serve.
[Sabalenka grunts]
- [Sabalenka grunts]
- [crowd exclaims]
[umpire] Out!
Love-15.
[Sabalenka grunts]
[grunts]
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 1]
What a start for Sabalenka.
[commentator 2] This place is packed.
But so many of them have come for Coco.
[commentator 1]
Sabalenka turns the crowd quiet.
[groans]
[commentator 1] That's too good.
[commentator 2] The first set
goes to Aryna Sabalenka.
Coco, so far she is just being pummeled
by the Sabalenka power.
[Sabalenka] You just have to
stay in the zone and control yourself.
What are you doing on the court?
[commentator 2] Can Sabalenka carry
this big babe tennis to the finish line?
[grunts]
[commentator 2] Three-one, Coco Gauff.
[commentator 1] A huge break for Gauff.
And that gets the crowd back going.
[Sabalenka]
They were really supporting her,
and you're facing so much against you.
[commentator 2] That's good.
Wow.
[commentator 1] How did she make that?
[commentator 2]
You gotta give it up for her
even if you're cheering for Coco.
[Sabalenka] It's really tough to play.
You want to disappear from the court.
[commentator 2 chuckles]
She's fighting so hard.
How noisy it is, you really cannot hear
your coach sometimes.
[commentator 1] They're getting
under the skin of Sabalenka.
[in Russian] At your own pace,
with your own feet.
Good job, come on, every ball.
[Sabalenka, in English] I started paying
so much attention to the crowd,
on the way she's moving.
I felt like she was getting better.
[commentator 2]
Coco taking control of the court.
[commentator 1]
Let's see if Sabalenka can reset here.
[Sabalenka] I have to keep fighting
and don't allow myself to give up.
[commentator 1] Third and final set.
[grunts]
[commentator 2] Coco gets the break.
This place is going nuts. [chuckles]
[Sabalenka] I gotta do something.
[grunts]
[commentator 2]
Sabalenka holding, and now breaking.
Some nutty errors from Sabalenka.
And Gauff one game away
from the U.S. Open title.
Now she is very close to making
about 24,000 people very, very happy.
[Sabalenka grunts]
[Gauff] It means so much to me.
Thank you first to my parents.
Today was the first time
I've ever seen my dad cry.
He doesn't want me to tell you all that,
but he got caught in 4K.
So thank you guys.
You believed in me from the beginning.
I've been coming to this tournament,
my dad took me to this tournament
sitting right there watching
Venus and Serena compete,
so it's really incredible
to be on this stage.
Thank you, New York. Oh, my God.
This means so much, thank you.
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
your 2023 U.S. Open Women's
Singles Champion...
Coco Gauff!
[Gauff] Obviously, Serena and Venus,
words can't describe
what they meant to me.
All the things that they had to go through
they made it easier
for someone like me to do this.
It's an honor.
I hope that another girl can see this
and believe that they can do it,
and hopefully their name
could be on this trophy too.
[Osaka] Winning the U.S. Open
for her means everything.
It's really a special feeling.
If you're an American,
you're the hometown hero for sure.
What Coco has done this summer,
frankly, is unbelievable.
She's going to leave
New York City on top of the world.
[Gauff] Whoo!
Hey! This looks a mess in there.
[laughs] Look!
They have my locker right here.
Forever, right here.
Don't know about forever.
As long as I'm playing. I don't know.
Oh! My name is on the wall.
Whoo!
Yo, they did it so fast. "C. Gauff."
What? That's crazy.
[Sabalenka] I think
this is the worst feeling.
Losing the final.
I was super angry. I was thinking like,
"How could I lose another opportunity?"
Of course, I wish different result,
but you just have to accept that.
I guess it was her moment,
and hopefully we're gonna
play another Grand Slam final,
and then hopefully it's going to
go my way. [chuckles]
[man] How many World #1s? Total?
I think she's the 29th.
- In this room, just one.
- Yeah.
[Courier]
Aryna's had a transformative season.
She's become a major champion.
Now she's on top of the mountain.
World #1.
[Sabalenka] To be number one,
that's just incredible.
It just proved this... the thing that
if you really want to do something,
and you're really working hard for it,
for your dream, you'll reach your dream,
you just have to believe, and work.
Wow, I'm so... you know, like a...
motivational speaker.
You're welcome, guys.
[chuckles]
[man] How heavy is that?
- There you go. Still working it.
- [Stacy] It looks heavy.
[man] Hold that pose. One second.
Yes...
- [Sabalenka groans]
- [man laughs]
- Jesus.
- It is heavy.
Okay, can we get our shoes back on?
Because like... [laughs]
[man] Jason, you look like Amir now.
That's great.
[Sabalenka chuckles]
[man] Okay, lovely. Here we go.
[Sabalenka] When I look back in my life,
it's just crazy to think
that I was able to accomplish this.
I know my dad would be proud of me.
After my retirement, I will be able to say
that "Yeah, I was the World #1."
"So I was pretty good at tennis." [laughs]
Quite cool, right? [laughs heartily]
02x06 - Becoming the One
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Gives a behind-the-scenes look at some of the major players and tournaments during the 2022 and 2023 ATP Tour and WTA Tour.
Gives a behind-the-scenes look at some of the major players and tournaments during the 2022 and 2023 ATP Tour and WTA Tour.