Coco Gauff is now a two-time Grand Slam champion—and the youngest American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2002.
On Saturday at Roland-Garros, the 21-year-old showed why she’s one of the game’s most fearless fighters, coming from behind to beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a dramatic, wind-blown final. Gauff lost the first set in a tense tiebreak but rallied back with poise, speed, and clutch shot-making to win the next two sets and clinch the match.
“I didn’t think honestly that I could do it,” Gauff said after the win, overcome with emotion. Quoting Tyler the Creator, she added, “I must’ve been lying to myself, because I could do it.”
Gauff’s victory was gritty. The conditions were tough—swirling wind, heavy nerves, and Sabalenka’s booming groundstrokes. But Gauff didn’t flinch. She broke Sabalenka’s serve four times in the last two sets and used her foot speed and shot variety—including well-timed drop shots—to keep the world No. 1 off balance.
Sabalenka, who had beaten Gauff just weeks earlier in Madrid and was favored coming into the final, started strong with a 4-1 lead in the opening set. But her game fell apart under pressure, racking up a shocking 70 unforced errors. “She didn’t win because she played unbelievable. I just made too many mistakes,” Sabalenka admitted. “It was the worst final I ever played.”
Still, the match had plenty of grit and drama. At 3-3 in the third set, Gauff immediately broke Sabalenka to love and held steady to close out the match. When Sabalenka’s last backhand missed, Gauff dropped to the clay in tears. She embraced her opponent, then high-fived film director Spike Lee in the stands.
“There’s a lot going on in our country right now,” Gauff said. “I hope I gave people something to feel good about today.”
She added to TNT Sports, “I don’t think either of us were playing great, but I knew it would be a fight in these conditions. I just tried to give myself the best chance on every point.”
Of all the majors, this one meant the most. “This is the one I really wanted,” Gauff said. “If I went through my career and never won it, I would’ve regretted it. Now, I have no regrets.”
