French Open Final 2025: Coco Gauff beats Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros, clinches her second major title | Tennis News

French Open Final 2025: Coco Gauff beats Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros, clinches her second major title | Tennis News

NEW DELHI: In a historic French Open final, Coco Gauff secured her maiden title on clay by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka with scores of 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday.The world number two Gauff demonstrated resilience in a match filled with intense exchanges and shifting advantages to secure her second major championship, following her triumph at the 2023 US Open, where she similarly overcame Sabalenka after losing the first set.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!This match marked a significant occasion, being only the second top-ranked players’ final in Paris in three decades, with the previous one occurring in 2013 between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.Following Sabalenka’s errant backhand on the second match point, the 21-year-old American collapsed backwards, hands covering her face before resting on the clay court. She acknowledged Sabalenka at the net, embraced film director Spike Lee, and joined her team in celebration, achieving redemption three years after her initial Roland-Garros final defeat.The final set began with Sabalenka displaying strength, maintaining her aggressive strategy to secure her service game.Gauff elevated her performance, winning an impressive point in the third game that earned enthusiastic support from spectators. A sophisticated exchange of drop shots culminated in Gauff’s lob, which Sabalenka pursued before attempting a between-the-legs shot, but Gauff intercepted at the net for a winning point.Gauff’s steady baseline play earned her a break opportunity, which she secured when Sabalenka committed a double fault, establishing a 2-1 advantage. Despite Sabalenka’s visible frustration directed at her team, she regained focus to level the score at 3-3.

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French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka ends Iga Swiatek's winning streak, reaches first Roland Garros final | Tennis News

French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka ends Iga Swiatek’s winning streak, reaches first Roland Garros final | Tennis News

Winner Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, right, and Poland’s Iga Swiatek hug after their semifinal match of the French Tennis Open (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: In a remarkable semifinal match at the French Open, Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, halted Iga Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros with a commanding 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 victory on Thursday.This victory not only prevented Swiatek from achieving a historic fourth consecutive French Open title in the professional era but also positioned Sabalenka for her fourth major championship, potentially her first on clay courts.“It feels incredible, but I also understand that the job is not done yet,” said Sabalenka, the 27-year-old Belarusian who claimed the top WTA ranking from Swiatek last October. “She’s the toughest opponent, especially on the clay, especially at Roland Garros. I’m proud that I was able to get this win. It was a tough match. … but I managed it, somehow.” Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates as she won the quarterfinal match of the French Tennis Open against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Sabalenka’s next challenge awaits in Saturday’s final against either No. 2 Coco Gauff or French wild-card entry Loïs Boisson, ranked 361st. She playfully addressed the crowd: “I’m pretty sure you’re going to be cheering for one person like crazy, and I’m not sure if I really want her to win.”The match, played under Court Philippe-Chatrier’s closed roof due to rain, showcased exceptional tennis from both players. However, Sabalenka’s decisive third-set performance, marked by zero unforced errors compared to Swiatek’s twelve, proved decisive.For Swiatek, this defeat extends a challenging period since her last French Open victory 12 months ago. The 24-year-old Polish player, now ranked fifth, has struggled to reach finals, faced an unexpected Olympics semifinal exit, and experienced a one-month ban following a contaminated medicine incident. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates as she won the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Poland’s Iga Swiatek at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Sabalenka’s dominance in women’s tennis is evident, with her six title match appearances this year setting a benchmark not seen since Serena Williams in 2013. Her powerful game, traditionally suited to faster courts, proved equally effective on clay, as demonstrated by her commanding performance.The match dynamics shifted throughout, with Sabalenka initially leading 4-1 before Swiatek fought back to 5-4 in the first set. After winning the tiebreaker, Swiatek briefly regained momentum in the second set, but Sabalenka ultimately prevailed with an impressive display of power tennis.The atmosphere was notably pro-Swiatek, with the 15,000-strong crowd frequently chanting “I-ga!” Sabalenka responded to this partial support by actively encouraging crowd engagement after her successful points.

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