Coco Gauff secured her first Grand Slam since 2023 and ended a decade-long American drought at the French Open.
The American dropped to the floor as she picked up her first title of 2025 in a three-set thriller against Aryna Sabalenka, winning 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 after more than two hours and 30 minutes of action against the World No.1.
Gauff has secured her first Grand Slam since glory at the 2023 US OpenGettyWhile Gauff had the crowd behind her from the first point, it was Sabalenka who came flying out of the blocks, breaking her rival early to quickly establish a 3-1 lead in the first set.
Unplayable in the opening exchanges, the Belarusian star broke serve a second time, and forced Gauff to adjust her game in an effort to counteract her opponents power.
Amid 33mph gusts of wind, the American did just that and broke back, as unforced errors began to creep into play for both stars.
With some momentum behind her, Gauff, who is set for a huge French Open windfall, was soon able to pull the first set back to 4-4, after it had threatened to get away.
As the clock ticked up to and past the hour mark, both players exchanged yet more breaks to take the first set, fittingly, to a tie-breaker.
With everything on the line, Gauff took a 3-0 lead and looked in control, but Sabalenka sensationally fought back to level it 5-5, before two more huge points ensured she won the tie-break and the set.
The 80-minute opener was tight, and full of unforced errors, and it was one that set the tone for the match.
As play resumed, it was Gauff who made a fast start this time, breaking Sabalenka once more, before a rare hold of serve gave her a 2-0 lead.
With the wind finally starting to settle down, it was the American playing with greater clarity, and she capitalised on her momentum to move 5-2 ahead.
The difference in tennis at that point was laid bare by the stats, which showed Sabalenka had made 51 unforced errors to Gauff’s 24.
Despite taking the first set, Sabalenka’s match was peppered with unforced errorsAFP Amid break after break, Gauff began to establish some momentum in the second setAFPThe second set was far quicker than the first, and Gauff held serve to close it out 6-2 in just over half an hour.
That set up a one-set shootout for the title, with both stars giving it their all.
After each held their first service game, it was Sabalenka who blinked first, allowing Gauff to take the first break after a double fault that left her visibly frustrated.
But the world No. 1 showed why she is deserving of that ranking and stayed alive to pull the set back to 3-3 as rain threatened a delay.
Gauff, though, proved she was up for any challenge, and remarkably battled back to break again.
She then held serve to close in on a second Grand Slam title since 2023.
Gauff has secured her first Grand Slam title since 2023 with a comeback winAFPWith a 5-4 lead, and 39 minutes of third-set play, a fully-focused Gauff stepped up to serve for the match.
Two aces came in her final service game, and despite strong defense from Sabalenka, a drop shot helped deliver Gauff championship point.
That came and went in a flash when Sabalenka ripped a winner past her, but the opportunity arose again seconds later and the American held her nerve to win after deuce, with her second match point.
In tears, Gauff quickly made her way up to her box to revel in a victory that game against an opponent who made a 2025 tournament-high number of unforced errors.
Saturday’s blockbuster final marked the first time in seven years that the two top-ranked women’s players in the world met in a Grand Slam showpiece.
Gauff, who broke down in tears during the 2024 tournament, also became the first for an American to secure a title at Roland Garros since Serena Williams won back in 2015.
Before taking glory in 2025, she had finished runner-up in Paris three years ago, while two-time Australian Open winner and last year’s US Open champion Sabalenka was contesting her first French Open final.
Despite never reaching this stage before, the world No. 1 has shown incredible consistency at the sport’s highest level in more recent months, with this tournament run culminating in her third successive major singles final.
Gauff outlasted an error-prone opponent in the finalGettyBoth finalists faced a long journey to Saturday afternoon’s showpiece, and overcame two very different challenges in their respective semi-finals.
Sabalenka, the pre-tournament favorite, ended four-time champion Iga Swiatek’s 26-match run with a three-set victory.
Gauff, meanwhile, efficiently ended French wildcard Lois Boisson’s fairytale run in straight sets, despite facing a partisan crowd in Paris.
She had beaten Olivia Gadecki, Tereza Valentova, Marie Bouzkova, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Madison Keys to reach the last four.
Sabalenka was victorious against Kamilla Rakhimova, Jil Teichmann, Olga Danilovic, Amanda Anisimova and Qinwen Zheng before beating Swiatek in the semis.
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