After finishing as the runner-up in 2022, second seed Coco Gauff went one step further this time, capturing the Roland Garros title by battling past world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 on a windy Saturday in Paris.
In just 19 minutes, Sabalenka’s aggressive and powerful play propelled her to a commanding 4-1 lead. But Gauff responded with resilience, reeling off three straight games to level the score at 4-4. Just when it seemed Gauff had completely shifted the momentum, Sabalenka struck back with another break.
Serving for the set, Sabalenka found herself in a grueling 12-minute game. Despite holding two set points, the top seed couldn’t close it out. Gauff dug deep and converted her fifth break point, leveling the set at 5-5 after 56 minutes of intense battle. Sabalenka broke serve once more, only to falter again while serving for the set.
In the tiebreak, Gauff came out strong, racing to a 3-0 lead. Sabalenka slowly clawed her way back, tying it at 5-5. She then earned a crucial set point with a spectacular rally and sealed the first set with a confident finish at the net.
In the second set, Gauff stormed to a 4-1 lead, securing a break at love in the fifth game. She appeared poised to extend her lead to 5-1, but Sabalenka battled hard to earn a break back in a…
