On a windy Saturday afternoon in Paris, the roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier was open as the women’s singles final of the 2025 French Open began. The championship match featured world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and world number two Coco Gauff of the U.S.—marking the first time since 2013 that the top two women had faced off for the title at Roland-Garros. In the end, 21-year-old Gauff triumphed 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, securing her second Grand Slam victory and becoming the first American woman to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.

The two had met ten times before, splitting their wins evenly. While Gauff had taken the lead at the 2023 U.S. Open, Sabalenka had won three of their last four matches. Expectations were high, and they delivered. Both players showcased their strengths—Sabalenka with her aggressive power, Gauff with her lightning-fast defense. The first set was a thrilling display of skill, featuring intense rallies (including a daring tweener from Sabalenka). Gauff fought back from a 2-4 deficit to force a tiebreak, though Sabalenka ultimately claimed the set.

But the momentum shifted in the second set. Gauff countered Sabalenka’s raw power and fiery outbursts (at one point, she hurled her racket toward the net, narrowly missing a ballkid) with calm precision. Unlike her straight-sets loss to Iga Świątek in her previous French Open final, Gauff now looked unstoppable.

After dominating the second set and taking an early lead in the third, victory seemed inevitable. The crowd—which included Spike and Tonya Lewis Lee, Omar Sy, Dustin Hoffman, and Gauff’s proud parents—erupted as she clinched the championship point and collapsed onto the clay in celebration.

During the emotional trophy ceremony, both players praised each other’s resilience. Sabalenka, heartbroken, apologized to her team for falling short, while Gauff, quoting Tyler, the Creator, admitted she hadn’t initially believed she could win. She lingered on court afterward, posing with the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup and capturing the moment for social media.

With the men’s final next—featuring world number one Jannik Sinner against number two Carlos Alcaraz—fans can only hope for another dramatic showdown. Buckle up!