Commenting again on her post-match prayer, Gauff said in a Monday interview on NBC’s “Today” show: “I was just saying thank you and I understood like all the tough times were just to make that moment even sweeter. I think if it came easy, I wouldn’t feel as appreciative as I did in that moment.”
After beating Maria Sakkari of Greece for the championship in the Mubadala Citi DC Open in August, Gauff said in a video posted by The Tennis Letter: “I want to thank my Father God for this. After losing first round Wimbledon it was a tough situation. A lot of prayer, a lot of support from my church family. So thank you to him and those who support me.”
Following her win in the final of the 2023 Cincinnati Masters in the same month, Gauff thanked her “Lord and savior Jesus Christ” at the trophy ceremony, according to Tennis Infinity.
Gauff, who bested 25-year-old Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, fell on the ground in tears after winning her first Grand Slam title.
The moment Gauff won the U.S. Open can be seen below.
On the men’s side of the U.S. Open, Serbian Novak Djokovic, whom some are hailing as the greatest men’s player of all time, won his 24th major championship, the most of any male player ever.
Djokovic, 36, is an Orthodox Christian who often dons a wooden cross around his neck and has been seen blessing himself during matches.
Outspoken about his faith in Christ, Djokovic said in a Monday interview with “CBS Mornings” that he was thinking “God is great” after his victory in the U.S. Open.
The moment Djokovic won can be seen here:
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Joseph Bukuras is a journalist at the Catholic News Agency. Joe has prior experience working in state and federal government, in non-profits, and Catholic education. He has contributed to an array of publications and his reporting has been cited by leading news sources, including the New York Times and the Washington Post. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Catholic University of America. He is based out of the Boston area.