World No. 2 Coco Gauff rallied from a set down to defeat top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in a thrilling final at Roland-Garros on Saturday, clinching her maiden French Open title and second career Grand Slam.
The 21-year-old American had previously reached the final of the clay-court major in 2022, where she lost to Iga Świątek. This time, however, she showed poise and determination to turn the tide in her favour after a fiercely contested opening set, eventually prevailing in one of the most dramatic Grand Slam finals in recent years.
Sabalenka appeared to have control in the early stages, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening set. But Gauff mounted a spirited comeback, levelling the score at 4-4 before both players exchanged games to force a tie-break. Sabalenka edged out the breaker 7-5 to take the set.
Also read: Gauff faces Sabalenka in French Open final
Unfazed, Gauff responded in commanding fashion in the second set. She raced to a 2-0 lead, extended it to 4-1, and closed out the set 6-2 with aggressive baseline play and superior court coverage, as Sabalenka struggled to keep up.
The deciding set mirrored the rollercoaster nature of the match. Sabalenka broke early for a 1-0 lead, but Gauff struck back, claiming five of the next seven games to move within touching distance of the title at 5-3. Although the Belarusian narrowed the margin to 5-4, Gauff held firm in the tenth game, sealing the set 6-4 and with it, the championship.
Gauff had previously captured the 2023 US Open and now joins an elite group of active women’s players with multiple Grand Slam titles. Her win is expected to shake up the WTA rankings and could mark a shift in dominance in the women’s game.
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