Three years after her heartbreaking loss in the French Open final, Coco Gauff found redemption. The 21-year-old American triumphed over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday to capture her first title at Roland-Garros and second Grand Slam championship overall.
Gauff, who previously won the U.S. Open in 2023, admitted this latest win was more mentally taxing. “That one [the U.S. Open] was more emotional, but this one was harder,” she said. “It came down to willpower and mental strength.”
She also drew strength from her 2022 loss to Iga Swiatek in the French Open final, a match where she felt emotionally overwhelmed before even stepping on court. “I was crying before the match, couldn’t breathe — it was a tough time,” she recalled. That defeat left her doubting whether she was ready to win major titles.
But on Saturday, Gauff proved she was more than ready. Displaying poise and consistency, she kept her unforced errors down and weathered the windy conditions better than Sabalenka. Just as she did in last year’s U.S. Open final, Gauff came from behind to beat Sabalenka once again.
When Sabalenka missed a backhand on Gauff’s second match point, the young American collapsed to the ground in disbelief. Tears flowed as she lay on her back, then rose to her feet with her hand over her mouth. She greeted Sabalenka with a heartfelt hug and later celebrated with her team and director Spike Lee, who was cheering her on from the stands.
Lifting the trophy high, Gauff said with a smile, “This one is heavy. It feels great to lift it.” She became the first American woman to win in Paris since Serena Williams in 2015.
The match was the first women’s final between the No. 1 and No. 2 players at Roland-Garros since 2013, when Williams defeated Maria Sharapova.
Despite the significance of the moment, Gauff joked about falling short in one area — her post-match speech in French. “I completely tanked on that,” she admitted, promising to work on it in the future. “Maybe I can learn a phrase or two for next time.”
Sabalenka, gracious in defeat, praised Gauff as a true competitor. “Congrats, Coco. You were the better player today in these tough conditions,” she said. Sabalenka also acknowledged the frustrating nature of the match, especially with the swirling wind and inconsistent footing.
The first set was chaotic, with 48 unforced errors combined — 32 from Sabalenka alone — and 21 break points. Despite that, Sabalenka managed to take the opening set in a tiebreak.
Gauff, however, responded with focus and intensity. After dominating the second set, she held firm in the third as Sabalenka kept pressing with high-risk shots. One dazzling rally in the third game brought the crowd to its feet — it ended with Sabalenka trying a between-the-legs shot that Gauff calmly intercepted at the net.
Gauff later described the playing conditions as challenging. “It was tough to plant your feet, the ball was moving a lot,” she said. “It really wasn’t a day for beautiful tennis.”
Nonetheless, her resilience carried her through, and with this victory, Gauff not only silenced past doubts but added another major milestone to what’s already becoming an impressive career.
