PARIS — Coco Gauff has gained the French Open for the primary time by defeating top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in Saturday’s closing.
The second-ranked Gauff got here out on prime of a contest that was stuffed with pressure and momentum swings to say her second main trophy after the 2023 U.S Open, the place she additionally got here from a set right down to beat Sabalenka within the closing.
It was the primary No. 1 vs. No. 2 closing in Paris since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and simply the second within the final 30 years.
After Sabalenka despatched a backhand vast on Gauff’s second match level, the 21-year-old American fell onto her again, overlaying her face with each fingers earlier than resting her forehand on the clay. After greeting Sabalenka on the web, she hugged movie director Spike Lee and celebrated together with her entourage, three years after she misplaced in her first closing at Roland-Garros.
Sabalenka began the deciding set strongly, sticking to her high-risk method to carry her first service recreation.
Gauff responded by elevating her degree, profitable an outstanding rally within the third recreation that drew loud cheers and applause from the group. After an intense alternate of drop photographs, Gauff hit a lob that Sabalenka chased down earlier than making an attempt a shot between her legs — just for Gauff to intercept it on the web and end with a winner.
Gauff was constant from the baseline and earned a break level which she transformed when Sabalenka double-faulted, giving her a 2-1 lead. Sabalenka turned towards her field and shouted in frustration however then regained her composure, breaking again to degree the match at 3-3.
She was damaged once more at love, nonetheless, and Gauff then held serve twice to claimed the title after a match that lasted 2 hours, 38 minutes.
