American tennis star Coco Gauff has received a message of support from former US First Lady Michelle Obama following her exit from the 2026 US Open.
Gauff’s campaign ended in the women’s semifinal after she surrendered an early advantage to Elena Rybakina, losing 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday.
The defeat ended Gauff’s hopes of reaching another US Open final and competing for her second title at Flushing Meadows.
Despite the disappointment, Gauff received a standing ovation from the New York crowd after the match, while Obama, who had watched the contest from the stands, also offered words of encouragement.
Obama took to social media after the match to praise the American tennis star and express her continued support.
She described Gauff as a joy to watch and said she was always proud of the 20-year-old, adding a message of encouragement for US tennis.
The former first lady had been among the high-profile spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium as Gauff faced Rybakina in the semifinal.
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Gauff made an impressive start against Rybakina, taking the opening set 6–3 and putting pressure on the Kazakh player.
Rybakina, however, responded strongly in the second set and began to find greater consistency with her serve and groundstrokes. She levelled the match by taking the second set 6–4 before maintaining her momentum in the decider.
Gauff attempted to fight back late in the third set, but Rybakina held her nerve to complete the comeback and secure a place in the final.
The victory sends Rybakina into her first US Open final, where she will face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka defeated another American, Jessica Pegula, 7–5, 6–2 in the other semifinal.
The result means there will be no American woman in the US Open final this year, while Rybakina is also set to become the new world number one.
For Gauff, the semifinal defeat brings an end to another deep Grand Slam run, but Obama’s message adds a note of encouragement as the American continues her pursuit of further major success.
Reuters
