On Monday afternoon, the LED screens behind each baseline at Arthur Ashe Stadium flashed a bright yellow glow, and fans streaming to their seats heard a three-word instruction of what to expect: “Kids On Court.”
The story came as a group of kids stormed the show court on the opening day of the US Open. They had come from the nearby Carefree Racquet Club in New York and were tasked with “showing us what the next generation is all about.”
It was a fitting appetizer—soon the mini nets were up and the court cleared for another set of young players to take the stage. On Monday, Ben Shelton, 21, and Coco Gauff, 20, were first and second at Arthur Ashe. Together, they were charged with lighting the fuse at this U.S. Open.
As a child, Gauff allowed her thoughts to wander to high places. She dreamed of becoming President of the United States and joining the British Royal Family.
Last year, she met Barack and Michelle Obama on her way to being crowned Queen of Queens. Shelton lost in the semifinals. But it was a run, in his first full season on tour, that catapulted the 21-year-old to superstardom.
On Monday, Ben Shelton and Coco Gauff lit the fuse for this year’s US Open in New York
The reigning champion defeated world number 66 Varvara Gracheva in three sets
They’ve taken very different paths to this curtain-raiser—Gauff had beaten Venus Williams at Wimbledon at 15, Shelton didn’t take the sport seriously until he was in his mid-teens. But they’re both homegrown talents with the tools to electrify these two weeks and rule American tennis for years to come.
They’re also friends. Gauff and Shelton recently did an Escape Room together; they’ll probably have a hard time staying out of the spotlight for a while.
On Monday, they both did their job – Shelton, the next great hope of American men’s tennis, defeated Dominic Thiem in straight sets before Gauff – the sport’s poster girl and reigning champion – overcame an early wobble to sail past world No. 66 Varvara Gracheva. They are the present and future of American tennis.
“I just look at this tournament as a (victory lap),” Gauff said. “I’m going to (win it) again, whether it’s in 2024 or not. I’m going to do it again.”
She looked set to take over when she became the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams, reached a first semifinal at the Australian Open and also reached the last four at Roland Garros.
But things have gone wrong in recent weeks. There have been tears and fits of rage and terrible results. It started at Wimbledon, when she dropped out early. It reached a peak at the Olympic Games in Paris, when she cried and clashed with the umpire.
Shelton defeated Dominic Thiem in the Austrian’s last ever match in a Grand Slam
“I’m sorry this is the way it ended,” Shelton said, despite showing no mercy during the two-hour running time
The signs were rather ominous as Gauff lost the first game to love and then gave away three break points in her opening service game. But she held, she broke and she never looked back. Gauff won 12 of the last 13 games to secure her place in round two with a 6-2 6-0 victory in just over an hour.
Earlier this fortnight, Shelton faced a player whose flame is fading. It was only four years ago that Dominic Thiem won here to claim his first Grand Slam. This match was his final bow at the US Open – and his last ever match at a major.
For a time, he was the future, the prospect to break the stranglehold of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Of that lost generation – between the golden age of tennis and this new generation of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and co – he seemed the most capable of achieving multiple major victories. Instead, that victory in 2020 has stood alone, and now a wrist injury has sent Thiem into early retirement.
And so it all felt rather cruel when Shelton continued on in Thiem’s last fight. Not only because the American is only just beginning his journey, but also because the power that has propelled Shelton to the top has been based on the fierce movement of his left wrist. Thiem’s resistance was finally broken after just under two hours on Arthur Ashe.
Gauff, just 20, won her first Grand Slam title with her victory at last year’s US Open
Shelton, meanwhile, had a breakthrough run to the semifinals at last year’s tournament
The Austrian was treated to a framed collage of memories and a video montage. He was given an emotional farewell by the New York audience – and by Shelton, who stepped back from the spotlight and even apologized for his role in this finale. “I’m sorry this is the way it ended,” he said, having barely shown any sympathy for the previous two hours.
Shelton was made for stages like this. The butterflies, he said afterward, are already gone. He has the charisma and the game and the looks. Decked out in a pink and blue tank top, Shelton dismantled Thiem with a combination of thunderous power and touch around the net.
The 21-year-old now heads into the second round knowing that a possible revenge against Djokovic – who beat him last year – remains in the last 16. It was a striking opening statement.
Taylor Fritz is one spot ahead of Shelton in the rankings and leads the group of five American men in the world’s top 20. But no American player has the superstar potential of this 21-year-old. Except Gauff. This won’t be the last time Arthur Ashe welcomes these guys to the court.