Coco Gauff wins French Open after gritty comeback as Aryna Sabalenka snaps | Tennis | Sport
Coco Gauff was crowned the French Open champion on Saturday, storming back to beat No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka. Aged just 21, the American now has two Grand Slam titles to her name. Gauff lost a rollercoaster 80-minute opening set before regrouping to seal a 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 victory as Sabalenka grew frustrated and vented towards her box.
It’s redemption for Gauff, who was thrashed in her maiden Grand Slam final here two years ago. The world No. 2 also lost back-to-back clay finals in Madrid and Rome this year, with Sabalenka getting the better of her on Spanish soil just five weeks ago.
Sabalenka and Gauff’s championship match was set to be a cracker. It was the first time the top two seeds in the women’s singles draw met in the Roland Garros final since 2013. And it certainly delivered.
The world No. 1, who beat four-time champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-final just two days ago, started strong as she raced into a 4-1 double break lead. But things suddenly fell apart on a very windy day in Paris.
Gauff started to find her groove, reeling off three games in a row to draw level. But the breezy conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier caused chaos, with Sabalenka forced to abandon her service motion multiple times in one game.
The breaks kept on coming. Sabalenka twice failed to serve out the set and they went to a tiebreak, where the Belarusian came back from a double mini-break down to take it after 80 gruelling minutes.
Gauff had the perfect response to losing the close opening set. She reigned in the errors and added some speed to her serves, and suddenly she was the one leading by a double break at 4-1.
Sabelanka got one back but the 21-year-old won the last eight games of the set to force a decider – and she looked unstoppable. Meanwhile, the world No. 1 was imploding.
She continued to rant and scream towards her box as seven-time French Open champion Chris Evert, who was commentating on the match for TNT Sports, suggested the “old Sabalenka” had returned.
The 27-year-old made a last-ditch attempt at a comeback, drawing level at 3-3 after going down an early break in the decider. But the unforced errors kept on coming, and Gauff immediately regained her lead.
Gauff had the title on her racket as she stepped up to serve at 5-4, and a cross-court forehand winner gave her championship point. But Sabalenka landed a return perfectly on the line and Gauff sent the ball into the net. Suddenly it was deuce.
The 21-year-old’s mum, Candi, looked tense in her box, clasping her hands together and praying for her daughter’s victory. But the world No. 1 had a lifeline, setting up a break point with a winner of her own.
She put her return wide and it was back to deuce. Another mistake gave Gauff her second championship point and there was one final dramatic rally to finish things off, as Sabalenka scrambled to keep the ball in play when she thought the American sent it long.
Sabalenka’s 70th and final unforced error sealed victory for Gauff, who collapsed onto her back in disbelief and repeatedly exclaimed “oh my god”. The pair embraced before the newly-crowned champion went to hug Spike Lee, who had been supporting her from the front row, then enjoyed a tearful reunion with her parents.
