Paris Triumph: Gauff Slays Sabalenka and Clinches French Open Crown
teenager Gauff defeats top-ranked player and clinches the French Open title
If you thought Coco Gauff was just another up-and-coming tennis star, think again! Despite Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, standing in her way, Gauff proved she's no pushover, securing her second Grand Slam title at the French Open after an exhilarating rollercoaster ride.
Emotions ran high on Court Philippe Chatrier as the 21-year-old American defeated Sabalenka in a fierce 2-hour, 37-minute battle - 6:7 (5:7), 6:2, 6:4. The match was filled with a record 15 breaks and mind-blowing twists and turns that left fans on the edge of their seats!
Coco Gauff's mother, Candi, bounced in pure joy on the tribune as her daughter, tears streaming down her face, exclaimed "Oh, my god!" Overcome with emotion, she had made her big dream a reality after a three-year wait following her heartbreaking final loss to Iga Swiatek.
Remarkably, Gauff repeated her winning formula from the 2023 US Open, coming back against the odds to seize victory from Sabalenka. With a confident air, she declared before the Paris final, "I fought for every single point then, and I knew I would win when I woke up," and she certainly did! In front of a crowd of 15,000 spectators, she brilliantly converted her second match point and received the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen with grace and pride.
Sabalenka, the overwhelming favorite, failed to clinch her first Paris triumph and her fourth major title. Astonishingly, she squandered her chance against the "Queen of Roland Garros," who had previously won the title four times in total and three times in a row in 2022. This time, Sabalenka's physical superiority wasn't enough, and her mental fortitude crumbled under pressure.
A Grand Slam Final Like No Other Since 1984
Draped in her signature thick black leather jacket, Gauff didn't quite seem ready for action at the start, dropping her serve early in the match. However, Sabalenka's errors gave Gauff a chance to get back in the game, and the crowd erupted with cheers.
Gauff levelled the score at 4-4 with her fourth consecutive game win. In the critical tiebreak, Sabalenka managed to avoid a disastrous deficit but still deferred the set to Gauff. Losing her serve three times in a row, Sabalenka's composure started to crack, and she grew increasingly agitated, cursing and complaining.
In the men's final on Sunday (3 pm/Eurosport and live ticker at ntv.de), world No. 1 Jannik Sinner (Italy) and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) will collide in an epic showdown. The last time the top two men and women in the world met in the finals of the French Open was 1984, when tennis legends McEnroe, Lendl, Navratilova, and Evert took center stage.
Source: ntv.de, tsi/sid
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While we can't predict the outcome of the 2023 men's final, one thing is for sure - it's shaping up to be an epic showdown between two powerhouses of the tennis world, just like in 1984!
Despite the impending football match, the tennis world was abuzz with the thrilling Grand Slam final between tennis stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, reminiscent of the epic showdowns witnessed in 1984. Remarkably, both players ranked as the top two in the world, much like the tennis legends who graced the French Open court decades ago.
