Coco Gauff overcomes Sabalenka in a tight match to win French Open 2025

 

"Victory Belongs to the Most Tenacious"—this inscription on the Philippe Chatrier Court proved prophetic, as Coco Gauff embodied its spirit in her remarkable French Open triumph. Despite losing the first set, she refused to back down. Gauff, who had lost the 2022 final to Iga Świątek, seized her second chance with unyielding determination, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set battle that lasted two and a half hours: 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.

Gauff’s tenacity silenced Sabalenka’s famous on-court shrieks—known throughout the tennis world. While they began as her signature roars of power, as the match wore on, they became cries of frustration. Gauff didn’t just outplay Sabalenka; she mentally outlasted her, earning her first French Open title and second career Grand Slam, after the 2023 US Open—where, coincidentally, she also came back from a set down to win.

Sabalenka, the world No. 2, is known for her power-driven style. Her thunderous serves and heavy groundstrokes are often too much to handle, even for the men. But on this day, her greatest strength became her undoing. As unforced errors crept in, she tried to muscle her way out of trouble—hitting harder, taking more risks, and making even more mistakes. The match statistics tell the story: Sabalenka committed 70 unforced errors, 40 more than Gauff. She was broken nine times, while she broke Gauff six times. The American, just 21 years old, outlasted her 27-year-old opponent in every aspect of the game.

And yet, the match had begun in a completely different tone. Much like her dominant semifinal performance against Świątek, Sabalenka raced ahead early—breaking Gauff’s serve twice to lead 4-1 within 15 minutes. It looked as if she would cruise to a straight-sets win. But Gauff stayed calm, unfazed. Unlike Sabalenka, whose every emotion spilled onto the court, Gauff remained unreadable—focused, composed, with steely eyes fixed on the task. She waited patiently for Sabalenka’s errors, and when they came, she capitalized.

Even though Gauff lost the first set in a tiebreak, she had sensed a shift—Sabalenka had spent too much energy too soon. From there, her shots lost precision. Her famed power betrayed her. Emotional and erratic, Sabalenka looked increasingly unsettled. Gauff took full advantage in the second set, dominating completely. Though Sabalenka put up a fight in the third, the momentum had long turned. Her focus wavered. She often looked toward her coach in frustration—sometimes speaking, sometimes fuming, her body language that of a player unraveling. Gauff understood that she didn’t need to beat Sabalenka; Sabalenka would beat herself.

The end came when a Sabalenka backhand sailed wide. Gauff collapsed on the red clay in disbelief and joy. At 21, she had claimed her second Grand Slam, becoming the first American woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to lift the French Open trophy. She raced into the stands to celebrate with her family and team.

On the other side of the net, Sabalenka sat despondent. She struggled to contain her emotions. When she came forward to collect the runner-up trophy, the tears flowed freely. For now, her wait for a maiden French Open title continues—while Coco Gauff stands tall, proof that victory truly does belong to the most tenacious.