“I treated it like a rain break. We have so many breaks in tennis,” Gauff said coolly on ESPN. It was only difficult because the length of the forced break might not be foreseen. “The crazy thing is – I said this morning, ‘I bet there will be a climate change protest in the final in the final.’ I didn’t think it would be in the semifinals yet.” In a high-class game at the end, Gauff converted her sixth match point following more than two hours.

With the score of 6: 4, 1: 0 for Gauff, environmental activists shouted slogans in the upper tier of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Pictures showed them wearing t-shirts that said “End Fossil Fuels” and the group Extinction Rebellion. “We don’t want to harm the athletes. We have nothing once morest the sport,” one of the activists told the AP news agency. In his view, the US Open has sponsorship deals with companies that contribute to global warming. They want to “draw attention to the problem that there will be no more tennis for anyone in the world to enjoy.”

According to the organizers, three people were initially taken away in a statement. “When security arrived, one person was taped to the ground with bare feet,” tournament director Stacey Allaster told ESPN, explaining the long suspension. The New York police and medical staff were needed to remove the person from the stadium, it said. The man was taken away in handcuffs by police officers. All four people were in police custody, according to organizers.

In the meantime there had been an announcement in the stadium that “a problem in the spectator area” would be solved and the game should be continued as soon as possible. Gauff first practiced a few serves, Muchova was treated. Both players then went into the catacombs of the largest tennis stadium in the world. Numerous spectators chanted in the direction of the protesters: “Throw them out”.

After almost 45 minutes, the players came back on the pitch to the cheers of the spectators and warmed up once more. At 8:55 p.m. (local time) and a break of almost 50 minutes, they resumed the game.

When the score was 5:3 in the second set, Gauff earned her first match point. Muchova fended off a total of five chances for the crowd favorite to win, some of them spectacularly – until the American was allowed to celebrate. With her hands she made a heart towards the fans. “It was so loud at some points, I don’t know if my ears are okay,” joked Gauff. “It’s crazy. I saw the tournament growing up so it means a lot to me. I hope you’ll come back and support me on Saturday.” Then she meets the winner of the duel between her compatriot Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.