Paris, June 7, 2025:
In a dramatic, wind-blown afternoon at Court Philippe Chatrier, American tennis star Coco Gauff claimed her first French Open title and second Grand Slam overall, defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in a gritty, topsy-turvy final.
The 21-year-old Gauff, seeded second, showcased her trademark defensive brilliance to outlast an erratic Sabalenka, who faltered despite taking early control in the match. In a contest marked by frequent momentum shifts, 15 breaks of serve, and tricky weather conditions, Gauff’s resilience and tactical maturity proved decisive.
Turning the Tide
Early on, Sabalenka's aggressive play seemed destined to overpower Gauff. Racing to a 4-1 lead, the Belarusian’s clean hitting forced the American onto the back foot. But Gauff, a seasoned defender despite her age, adjusted quickly, dropping deeper behind the baseline, absorbing pace, and turning defence into offence. The change derailed Sabalenka’s rhythm, leading to unforced errors and missed opportunities — including two failed attempts to serve out the opening set.
Sabalenka eventually clinched the first set in a tight tiebreaker, but the tide had already begun to turn.
Defence Wins Championships
The second set saw Gauff in full control. As Sabalenka's error count soared, Gauff’s strategic defence pushed her opponent to take riskier shots. The American broke serve multiple times, closing out the set 6-2. In the decider, Gauff held her nerve during crucial moments, capitalizing on Sabalenka’s 70 unforced errors — more than double her own tally of 30.
Gauff ended the match having broken Sabalenka nine times and winning over 50% of return points, underlining her dominance in the return game — a key to victory on clay.
A Coming of Age Victory
“This one hurts so much,” said a tearful Sabalenka in her post-match speech. “But congrats, Coco. In these tough conditions, you were a better player than me.”
For Gauff, the win signals her arrival as a true multi-surface threat, having previously triumphed on the hard courts of the US Open in 2023. That win, also against Sabalenka, was a similar come-from-behind effort — one that revealed her capacity to adapt and evolve.
Now, in Paris, Gauff has cemented her place among the sport’s elite with a title that demanded not just skill, but patience, poise, and the ability to dig deep.