American tennis player beat the world’s current number 1 again in a Grand Slam final after the US Open victory in 2023, when he won his first ‘Major’
To American tennis , Number 2 of the world, he became champion on Saturday (7) by defeating in the final to Belarussian (n.1). Gauff closed the game in 2 sets to 1, with partials of 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 and 6-4, in two hours and 38 minutes on the Philippe Chatrier court. The 21 -year -old is the first American to beat Roland Garros since Serena Willians, the Parisian clay champion for the last time in 2015.
Gauff succeeds Polish Iga Swiatek, winner of the last three editions of the tournament, eliminated this year by Sabalenka in the semifinal. “I’ve been through a lot since I lost here, three years ago [para Swiatek]. Honestly, I didn’t think I could… I think I was fooling myself, thinking I could, ”said the American, in tears, in her champion speech.
Gauff beats the world’s current number 1 again in a Grand Slam final after the US Open win in 2023, when he won his first ‘Major’. Sabalenka, who leads the WTA ranking since last year, has suffered his second Grand Slam final defeat of the season after falling on the open from Australia to another American, Madison Keys.
“Of course it hurts a lot, especially after two difficult weeks I played excellent sneakers. Playing such a bad sneakers in the final hurts a lot,” the Belarussian lamented, also in the middle of tears and a lot of self -criticism.
Carousel of emotions
With cloudy weather and a strong wind in the French capital, the first set was a carousel of emotions and Sabalenka managed to survive in a Tie Break that started losing 3-0. Before, there were four service breaks on each side in a game where Belarussi opened 4-1 in 15 minutes, but it was too early to imagine a quick final.
Gauff had difficulty reacting, but kept the focus to continue in the game until he found his pace. She got the 4-4 draw after breaking Sabalenka’s withdrawal for the second time. The world’s number 1, which had started with high intensity, lost concentration, but managed to close the first set in an hour and 18 minutes of play.
In the first Grand Slam final between number 1 and number 2 in the world since 2018, Gauff has not been slaughtered and repeated Sabalenka’s beginning in the second partial: 4 to 1 with two breaks in favor. With a dynamic, consistent game and great physical resistance against the opponent’s blows, Gauff tied the final in 36 minutes and took control of the match.
In the decisive set, the two players showed all their weapons, but also made a series of unreeded errors (70 to Sabalenka), which made the dominion run from hand to hand. The final stretch was worthy of a suspense script. Gauff sketches his arms to celebrate to celebrate victory, but Sabalenka’s ball had fallen on the line. In the second match point, the American sealed the victory and knelt on the Parisian clay. Roland Garros has a new champion.
See the last ten champions of Roland Garros:
2025: Coco Gauff (USA)
2024:
2023:
2022:
2021: Barbora Krejcikova (Jun)
2020: I have Switch.
2019: Ashleigh Barty (from)
2018: Simona Halep (ROM)
2017: Jelena Ostapenko (flight)
2016: Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
Largest winners Roland Garros since the beginning of the Open Era in 1968:
1. Chris Evert (USA): 7 titles (1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986)
2. Steffi chart (Ale): 6 Títulos (1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999)
3. Justine Henin (BEL): 4 titles (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007)
4. Iga Swiatek (POL): 4 titles (2020, 2022, 2023, 2023)
*With information from AFP
Posted by Carolina Ferreira
