Refer to her as Coco, the French Open Champion.
Coco Gauff secured her first French Open title at Roland Garros on Saturday, overcoming world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a highly competitive match with a score of 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in the Grand Slam final.
The 21-year-old demonstrated remarkable resilience in challenging conditions, including powerful shots from Sabalenka and gusting winds, ultimately securing her second Grand Slam title and becoming the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.
“The first was one was more emotional; this one was harder because you win one and don’t want to get satisfied with that one,” Gauff said. “It was very difficult to match up. This one I really wanted because when I was younger this is one of the tournaments I felt I had the best shot of winning. If I went through my career without getting one, I would feel regrets. Today, playing Aryna, I was just, like, I’ve just got to go for it and try my best to get through the match. That’s what I did.”
This marked the first Slam final between the world’s top two players since Caroline Wozniacki defeated Simona Halep to win the Australian Open in 2018, as well as the first at Roland Garros since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova in 2013.
“In the final it was the worst tennis I have played in the last month,” Sabalenka said. “The conditions were terrible and she was better in these conditions than me. I think it was the worst final I have ever played.”
Sabalenka entered the match as the favorite, having defeated Gauff in the Madrid Open final last month. However, with the roof open and gusty winds affecting Court Philippe Chatrier, maintaining consistent ball striking proved challenging, as the ball’s behavior varied significantly, often losing pace on the clay before flying across the court.
“She won the match not because she played incredible,” Sabalenka added. “Instead I made all of those mistakes.”
Sabalenka had numerous opportunities and demonstrated strong performance, establishing an early 4-1, 40-0 lead and securing the first set through a tiebreak despite two missed opportunities to serve it out. However, the Belarusian made 70 unforced errors throughout the match, allowing Gauff to mount a comeback and maintain composure under significant pressure in the final set.
This marks Sabalenka’s second consecutive loss in a Grand Slam final. She was visibly emotional and addressed the audience, expressing her apologies for her performance, which she described as “terrible tennis.
Gauff demonstrated resilience by overcoming an initial setback in the first set to defeat Madison Keys in the quarterfinals. She once again displayed strong mental fortitude by breaking in the opening game of the second set.
“There is a lot going on in our country right now with everything, as you all may know,” Gauff said. “Being a representation of people that look like me in America who maybe don’t feel supported during this time period. Being that reflection of hope and light for those people.”
Gauff became the youngest American to win at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2002.
“After the election, I felt a down period; my mom told me during Riyadh, try to win the tournament for people to smile for,” Gauff said. “That’s what I was thinking about today. Seeing the flags in the crowd means a lot. I am definitely patriotic and proud to be an American. Proud to represent the Americans that look like me and people who support the things that I support.”
Gauff delivered an inspiring speech following her victory at the 2025 French Open, openly discussing her experiences with self-doubt and expressing gratitude to numerous individuals, including Tyler, The Creator.
Gauff said in her victory speech on Court Philippe-Chatrier, “I didn’t think honestly that I could do it. But I’m gonna quote Tyler, The Creator right here. He said, ‘If I ever told you I had a doubt inside me, I must be lying.’
“I’d like to leave that with you guys. I think I was lying to myself and I definitely could do it. Shout out to Tyler.”
The quote is from Tyler, The Creator’s latest album, ‘Chromakopia,’ from the song’ St. Chroma.’ Gauff is a long-time fan of the rapper, and even earned a shoutout in his song ‘Thought I Was Dead’, which says, “…You ain’t Coco Gauff you can’t serve me”.
Merci Coco.
Photos/CocoGauff/X
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