The Times of India at Roland Garros: : Coco Gauff fell on her back as Aryna Sabalenka’s two-hander floated long after two hours and 38 minutes of the French Open final. “Oh my God! Oh my God!” the American, covered in clay, exclaimed. Up in her box, mother Candi, who spent a good part of the match meditating, was bouncing up-and-down. After what seemed like an eternity, Gauff turned and knelt on Court Philippe Chatrier, worshipping it perhaps in the only moment she will have to herself in a while.
The world No. 2 claimed her second major title and first at Roland Garros with a 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 win.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The 21-year-old, cradling the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, thanked her team and the crowd, who were 100 per cent behind the American. “Aryna you are a fighter, and I know today was a tough match, but hopefully we will get to play again in the future,” she said, adding, “I want to thank my parents, from washing my clothes to keeping me grounded, you always believed in me. You guys are the reason I do this.”
Sabalenka, the world No. 1, playing in her first Major final in a nonhard court Grand Slam, sank into a courtside seat and covered her head in a towel. “You were a better player than me today, you are a fighter and a hard worker,” she said after collecting the finalist’s plate, she then turned to her team and apologized “for playing this terrible final”.
It appears that losing the final at Roland Garros three years ago gave Gauff perspective, which was evident in the poise she displayed on Saturday. She told the media of the morning after in 2022 that while walking around Paris she realized no one cared if she had won or lost, the sun still rose the following morning. In the larger scheme of things, a tennis match was miniscule.
So, while the 27-year-old Belarusian was coming apart down the other end, Gauff was unmoved regardless of the score. However, if there’s a statistic that sums up the match, it should be Sabalenka’s unforced error count — 70. Gauff, who won a total of 119 points in the match, did the math and kept it together.
Coco Guaff on X after winning the French Open women's final over Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X)
The first set, punctuated by a combination of unforced errors and winners, saw the American neutralizing the Belarusian’s power by patrolling the baseline, standing six feet behind the baseline and running from corner to corner, often using underspin to stay in the point. On a spring afternoon when the sun stayed away, it was indeed smart play. Sabalenka went up a double break and led 4-1, some 19 minutes later the world No.2 levelled. Then Sabalenka twice served for the set, but Gauff broke.
In the tie-break, Gauff led 4-1 and 5-3, but Sabalenka pulled off four successive winners to close the set after an hour and 18 minutes.
Gauff took a 4-1 lead in the second set and while Sabalenka pulled one back she continued to fuel her unforced error count and the 21-year-old American levelled set scores. In the decider Gauff was the best version of the player she has matured into, doing what it takes.
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