Coco Gauff wins maiden French Open title after epic comeback against Aryna Sabalenka

Coco Gauff staged a determined comeback to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open final on Saturday, clinching her second Grand Slam title. The 20-year-old American, ranked second in the world, recovered from a set down to seal a 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4 win at Roland Garros.

Who is Gauff and why is this win significant?

Gauff’s victory adds to her growing stature in women’s tennis, coming just months after her maiden major title at the 2023 US Open—also secured against Sabalenka. With Saturday’s win, Gauff becomes one of the few players to beat the world number one twice in Grand Slam finals.

How did the match unfold?

Sabalenka claimed the tightly contested opening set in a tie-break, 7-6 (7-5), but Gauff responded with characteristic resilience, dominating the second set 6-2. She then held her nerve in the decider, breaking Sabalenka to take the final set 6-4 and lift the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup.

What’s next for Gauff and Sabalenka?

This victory cements Gauff’s place among the elite of women’s tennis, while Sabalenka, despite her top ranking, will need to regroup after a second successive Grand Slam final defeat to the American.