The youngest player on tour has made history! In June 2023, she won her second major title at the French Open, where she beat the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka. The breathtaking contest occurred on the historic red clay of Roland Garros. After an exhausting perfectly matched two hours and 38 minutes of end to end breathtaking tennis, it ended 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. This triumph is the biggest step forward in Gauff’s young career. It comes hot on the heels of her first major victory at the 2023 US Open just a few months prior.
The grand slam final spotlighted an incredible matchup between Gauff, who is ranked number two in the world, and Sabalenka. This matchup made for the first number one versus number two final in Paris since 2013. The fans had been dreaming of this monumental day for ten years! Gauff put on an impressive show of her Champion’s Resolve, rallying from 1-6, 2-5 down to close out her victory over the powerful Sabalenka.
To start the match, Gauff struggled a bit, dropping the first set 6-7 following a hard-fought tiebreaker. She came back in the second to show her rock-solid baseline game — rally after rally, keeping Kanepi from finding her rhythm. Gauff capitalized on a huge break point in the final set when Sabalenka gave up a double fault. This uncharacteristic error gave Gauff a break to go up 2-1. The American then held serve twice more to close out the title.
Even after going through a stretch where she was broken at love during the set, Gauff kept her focus and poise. Her resourcefulness and adaptability in clutch time cemented her willpower and talent in big games as elite, earning her the moniker of an all-time great.
After winning the championship, Gauff erupted with joy with her entourage—including filmmaker Spike Lee—celebrating with joyous hugs. This moment highlights her achievement and reflects the support system that has accompanied her throughout her journey in professional tennis.
