Feisty Coco Gauff stuns Aryna Sabalenka to win maiden French Open crown
Coco Gauff pulled off a surprising comeback on Saturday to seize her maiden French Open title. The 21-year-old defeated prime seed and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in an exhilarating ladies’s singles closing on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier.
Again in 2022, an 18-year-old Gauff fell quick within the French Open closing in opposition to then-World No. 1 Iga Swiatek. This time, nevertheless, the American star made no mistake—seizing her second and toppling one other top-ranked opponent to assert Grand Slam glory.
French Open 2025 ladies’s singles closing Highlights
The victory marked Gauff’s second Grand Slam title, following her triumph on the 2023 US Open. Fittingly, it was a rematch of that closing at Flushing Meadows, however as soon as once more, Sabalenka fell quick as Gauff got here out on prime, denying the World No.1 a shot at revenge.
Gauff additionally avenged her straight-sets loss to Sabalenka within the Madrid Open closing earlier this yr. With this win, she now leads their head-to-head 6–5 on the WTA Tour. It was third time fortunate for the American, who had fallen quick within the finals of each Rome and Madrid earlier than lastly clinching a title on clay this season.
Sabalenka prevails in roller-coaster set
Sabalenka put Gauff beneath super stress within the first set, going up a double break and taking a commanding 4–1 lead. However Gauff fought again, incomes her first break level within the fifth recreation. Down 0-40, she saved three recreation factors and transformed her solely break alternative.
Gauff adopted it up with a flawless service recreation, holding to like and narrowing the hole to 3-4. She then earned a second break within the subsequent recreation, leveling the rating as Sabalenka saved 4 break factors earlier than lastly surrendering on the fifth.
Sabalenka responded with a 3rd break to go up 5-4. Serving for the set, she reached set level at 40-30 however double-faulted. Gauff confirmed nice tenacity, changing her fifth break level of the set to degree issues once more.
Refusing to again down, Sabalenka secured a fourth break. But once more, although, she could not serve out the set, with Gauff breaking again and forcing a tie-break in what had change into a roller-coaster of a set.
Within the tie-break, Gauff surged to a 3-0 lead, placing Sabalenka beneath stress. However the prime seed rallied, drawing degree at 5-5. From there, Sabalenka took management and closed out the set after an intense hour and 20 minutes.
Gauff makes gorgeous comeback
After the frustration of dropping the opening set in a tie-break, Gauff responded strongly within the second. She secured an early break to go up 2–0 and continued to use stress, incomes a double break to increase her result in 4-1, sparking hopes of a comeback.
Sabalenka, nevertheless, refused to provide in and managed to claw one break again. However at 4-2, Gauff earned her third break of the set to go up 5–2, after which she confidently closed it out.
Within the decider, Gauff picked up proper the place she left off. She earned an early break to take a 2-1 lead and consolidated it to 3-1. Within the following recreation, Sabalenka confronted one other break level however held serve to shut the hole to 2-3.
Sabalenka then broke again to degree the rating at 3-3. Nonetheless, Gauff as soon as once more confirmed her resilience, breaking Sabalenka’s serve to retake the lead and making it more and more troublesome for her Belarusian opponent to mount a comeback.
Serving at 5–4, 40–30 within the closing set, Gauff sealed the championship after a backhand from Sabalenka sailed extensive. The second she realized the ball was out, Gauff dropped to the bottom in sheer pleasure as the gang erupted in applause, celebrating her hard-fought triumph.
