Coco Gauff triumphs at the French Open, securing her second Grand Slam victory by defeating Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.
Coco Gauff clinched her first French Open title, edging out the world’s top player Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in a gripping final held in 2025.
In a match characterized by intense momentum shifts, the second-seeded Gauff emerged victorious on Saturday, collecting her second major trophy following her 2023 US Open win, where she also rallied from a set down against Sabalenka.
This final marked the first showdown between the world’s number one and number two players in Paris since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, making it only the second occurrence in the last three decades.
As Sabalenka sent a backhand wide on Gauff’s second match point, the 21-year-old American collapsed in delight onto her back, covering her face before resting on the clay surface. Post-match, she celebrated with filmmaker Spike Lee and her team, three years after her previous final appearance at Roland-Garros ended in defeat.
Sabalenka started the decisive set with vigor, maintaining her aggressive strategy to hold her initial service game.
Gauff quickly matched her energy, winning a remarkable rally in the third game that elicited cheers from the crowd. After an exhilarating exchange of drop shots, Gauff executed a lofted shot that Sabalenka pursued, attempting a behind-the-back return, only for Gauff to intercept and finish with a winning volley at the net.
Display ing remarkable consistency from the baseline, Gauff secured a break point, converting it after Sabalenka double-faulted, thus carving out a 2-1 lead. Despite a moment of frustration for Sabalenka as she directed her ire toward her support team, she regained her focus to break back, leveling the score at 3-3.
However, Gauff broke her again without losing a point, then held her serve twice more, ultimately sealing a hard-fought victory after a grueling 2 hours and 38 minutes on the court.