Coco Gauff triumphs over Sabalenka to claim first French Open title

In a thrilling three-set final at Roland Garros on Saturday, American tennis sensation Coco Gauff staged a remarkable comeback to defeat world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4, securing her maiden French Open championship and second Grand Slam title.

The 21-year-old phenom, who previously claimed her first major at the 2023 US Open, also against Sabalenka, becomes the first American woman to conquer Paris since Serena Williams in 2015.

Gauff now stands as the youngest American champion at Roland Garros since Williams' initial triumph here in 2002.

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The Belarusian looked poised for dominance early, racing to a 4-1 lead with a double break and holding a triple game point.

However, Gauff's stunning 12-point streak sparked her resurgence, ultimately forcing a first-set tiebreak.

Though Sabalenka prevailed 7-6(5) after 80 gruelling minutes, the momentum had decisively shifted.

Gauff dominated the second set in just 33 minutes before establishing a 3-1 advantage in the decider.

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Despite Sabalenka's fightback to 3-3, the American broke serve once more before serving out the championship after 2 hours, 46 minutes of intense battle.

Career implications:

Extends head-to-head lead over Sabalenka to 6-5.

Improves to 2-1 against the Belarusian on clay.

Maintains a 2-1 advantage in Grand Slam meetings.

Rankings Impact:

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Both players will retain their positions when new WTA rankings are released Monday, with Sabalenka remaining world No. 1 and Gauff at No. 2.

The victory marks another milestone for Gauff, who has now won 12 consecutive matches on clay this season.

Her emotional collapse at the court after match point underscored the significance of realising her childhood dream on the Parisian clay.

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