NEW YORK — Katherine Hui made it two big victories for American teenagers at the US Open on Saturday, winning the junior title.
Hui, an 18-year-old from San Diego who is entering her freshman year at Stanford, took the court for her final during 19-year-old Coco Gauff‘s victory over Aryna Sabalenka for the women’s title.
Hui then beat No. 9 seed Tereza Valentova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4. Hui said she has never met Gauff, but was cheering for her until having to begin her own match.
“I didn’t know what happened after, but I heard some really loud roars come across, so I just assumed she won,” Hui said. “Yeah, it just got louder and louder. I heard a cheer and I thought she had won and then an even louder one.
“She’s obviously such a big inspiration to me,” Hui added, saying that “just being that young and accomplishing so much with so much, probably, pressure is amazing.”
Hui lost to Genie Bouchard in the first round of qualifying for the women’s tournament.
Joao Fonseca of Brazil, the No. 7 seed, won the boys division title by beating Learner Tien 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Tien, a 17-year-old American who was seeded No. 11, lost to 2022 U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe in straight sets in the first round of the men’s tournament.