Source: Robert Prange / Getty
Top-ranked Sabalenka came out firing on all cylinders, beating second-ranked Gauff in the first set, but she came charging back to win, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4.
On Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff found herself down 1-4 at first and fought back for a tie-breaking point that eventually went to Sabalenka, but by then, she’d already discovered her momentum.
Gauff had a big lead in the first set’s tiebreaker, but Sabalenka’s sheer power won out.
She built on that in the second set, as Sabalenka kept falling victim to her own forced errors amid an impossibly windy day. Gauff had an early double break and remained calm, while her opponent’s emotional swings affected her play.
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More momentum shifted in the third set, even down to championship point, which Gauff won off Sabalenka hitting it out of bounds.
Gauff also made some history as the underdog in the match. Her losing the first set but winning the match marks only the 10th time that’s happened in the women’s finals.
The last time an American woman won a French Open singles title was Serena Williams in 2015. Now, 21-year-old Gauff is the youngest to take home the Roland-Garros trophy since Williams in 2002.
The win is another addition to Gauff’s impressive list, which includes
nine doubles titles, including the 2024 French Open. On her own, she’s won ten career singles titles, and this French Open win becomes her second major win, with her first coming at the 2023 US Open.
“The crowd really helped me today, you guys were cheering for me so hard,” she began her acceptance speech. “I appreciate you guys, merci beaucoup. I didn’t think I could do it, but I’m going to quote Tyler, the Creator.”
She continues, paraphrasing
Tyler, The Creator’s bars from “St. Chroma”: “If I ever told you I had a doubt inside me, I must be lying.”
See how social media is reacting below.
