The 21-year-old made history as the first American to win the singles title in Paris since Serena Williams in 2015 and the youngest American to do so since her celebrated compatriot in 2002.
“I was experiencing a lot when I lost this final three years ago. I’m just thrilled to be here,” Gauff expressed while holding the Suzanne Lenglen Cup and becoming emotional.
“I want to congratulate Aryna. You’re a fighter and the number one player in the world. Today’s match was intense, but you deserve every bit of your success. Every time we compete, it’s such a challenging match.
“The crowd supported me tremendously today. You all cheered with such enthusiasm, and I truly don’t know how I deserve such backing from the French audience. I didn’t believe I could pull it off.”
Paris was set to crown a new champion, but the highly anticipated showdown between the top two women in the world rankings in a major final since the 2018 Australian Open fell short of expectations on Court Philippe Chatrier, marred by 100 unforced errors.
In her third consecutive Grand Slam final, but first on the slowest surface in the sport, Sabalenka executed a break to love in the third game with clever net play, combining deft drop shots and sheer power to lead 4-1 in the first set.
Gauff remained unfazed, breaking back from 0-40 down after a shaky game from Sabalenka and managed to level the match after eight games, fueled by the enthusiastic center court crowd’s encouragement.
What ensued was a series of errors from both players in windy conditions, before Gauff secured a tiebreak with a skillful backhand winner, only to squander a 4-1 lead as Sabalenka made a comeback to take the opening set.
As the 2023 U.S. Open champion, Gauff didn’t flinch and ramped up her game in the second set, winning four of the first five games and equalizing the match as Sabalenka’s unforced errors surged to 51.
The 2022 Paris runner-up elevated her performance in the final set, building a 3-1 lead before Sabalenka fought back, but Gauff steadied herself just in time to secure the victory, igniting jubilant celebrations among her supporters.
Gauff fell to the ground in disbelief, tears of joy flowing as she rushed into the stands to embrace her team, while Sabalenka was left to contemplate another major final defeat after her loss to Madison Keys in the Australian Open title match.
This result thwarted the 27-year-old’s chance to be the only active woman on tour to clinch singles titles at three of the four Grand Slams, following her triumph at the Australian Open in 2023-24 and the U.S. Open last year.
“Honestly, this hurts tremendously, especially after such a challenging two weeks. To deliver such below-par tennis in the final truly stings,” Sabalenka shared, tears streaming down her face, before commending Gauff for her remarkable comeback.
“You’re a fighter and a dedicated player, so congratulations to you and your team … thank you to my team for their support. I apologize for this disappointing final, but I will come back even stronger.”
