Coco Gauff admitted that the French Open final against Aryna Sabalenka ‘wasn’t pretty’, but said that the Parisian Grand Slam was a tournament which she ‘really wanted’ to win.
The world No 2 was victorious 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 against the Belarusian, collecting her second Grand Slam – after having previously won the US Open in 2023.
In a dominant tournament in which she only dropped one set – to Madison Keys – Gauff looked at home on the clay, despite being the underdog in the showpiece match.
“I think the first one [Grand Slam] was maybe more emotional, but I think this one was just harder because, you know, you win one, and you just don’t want to get satisfied with just that one,” the American stated, during her post-match press conference.
“So it was very difficult to match up. And I also felt like this is one I really wanted, because I do think this was one of the tournaments that when I was younger that I felt I had the best shot of winning. So I just felt like if I went through my career and didn’t get at least one of these, I would feel regrets and stuff.
“Today, playing Aryna, I was just, like, I just gotta go for it and try my best to get through the match. Yeah, that’s what I did.”
Despite the stakes, the weather conditions did not allow for the highest possible quality, with strong winds disrupting play and providing an additional challenge for both players.
Overall, the finalists produced a stunning 100 unforced errors – with 70 of those coming from the racket of the world No 1.
“It was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed,” said Gauff.
“I was, like, this is going to be a tough day, and I knew it was just going to be about willpower and mental.
“Yeah, it really came down to the last few points, but overall I’m just really happy with the fight that I managed today. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, and that’s all that matters.”
“I was aware a little bit, but also, I don’t pay attention too much, especially against Aryna because I’ve seen her get mad and then go on a tear. So I was just trying not to pay attention to it today.
“I knew I was frustrated, maybe I didn’t show it as much, but in my head I was frustrated. I know if I’m frustrated, then my opponent has to be frustrated.
“Yeah, it was not a day for great tennis, honestly. I don’t know too many people that could play great tennis today, but you know, it’s part of the sport and part of playing outside. You just don’t know what to expect, especially in Paris.”
The world No 2 is just the third American player to win the women’s French Open title since 1990, joining Jennifer Capriati and Serena Williams.
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On the other hand, Sabalenka – who was seeking her fourth Grand Slam – was visibly frustrated both on-court and during her press conference.
The frustration was, no doubt, exacerbated by the calibre of players that she defeated, including Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen and three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek.
“I mean, honestly sometimes it felt like she [Gauff] was hitting the ball from the frame,” analysed the world No 1.
“Somehow, magically the ball lands in the court, and you’re kind of on the back foot.
“It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was just staying there laughing, like, ‘let’s see if you can handle this’.
“I was just making unforced errors. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes, kind of like from easy balls.”
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