Paris, June 6: For the first time in over a decade, the French Open women’s final will feature the top two players in the world as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 2 Coco Gauff prepare to face off for the Roland Garros crown.
Sabalenka secured her maiden French Open final appearance by ending Iga Swiatek’s reign in a gripping semifinal. The Belarusian halted the three-time defending champion’s 26-match winning streak in Paris with a 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 victory, showcasing power and precision under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier. It marked Sabalenka’s 40th main-draw win of the season — the most on tour — and her sixth Grand Slam final overall, more than any other player in the 2020s.
“This one means a lot,” Sabalenka said post-match. “Beating Iga here, where she’s been nearly unbeatable, shows how far I’ve come.”
Swiatek, seeded No. 5, had not lost a match at Roland Garros since 2021 and owned titles in 2020, 2022, and 2023. But in the final set, Sabalenka surged with a flawless 22-minute performance, firing five winners and committing zero unforced errors to seal a 6-0 sweep.
Shortly after, Coco Gauff joined her in the final with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over French wildcard Lois Boisson. The American, who captured her first Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open by defeating Sabalenka, will now contest her second Roland Garros final. She previously reached the title match in 2022 but lost to Swiatek.The final sets up a much-anticipated 11th career meeting between Gauff and Sabalenka. Since Gauff’s US Open triumph, the two have split their last four encounters, promising a closely fought battle.This showdown will mark the first time since the 2018 Australian Open that the top two WTA players contest a Grand Slam final. At Roland Garros, such a meeting last occurred in 2013 when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova.
Meanwhile, French fans bid an emotional farewell to Boisson, whose surprise run to the semifinals was one of the standout stories of the tournament.Gauff enters the final with momentum and maturity, while Sabalenka aims to claim her first major title on clay. The stage is set for a thrilling clash between the two best players in women’s tennis.As the curtain prepares to fall on this year’s Roland Garros, the women’s final promises a fitting climax — a battle of equals, a rematch of champions, and a celebration of power, grit, and evolution in women’s tennis. With history on the line and contrasting styles set to collide, Sabalenka and Gauff will not only vie for the coveted French Open title but also for the right to call themselves the undisputed queen of clay in 2025.Saturday’s final will not just be about rankings or past records — it will be a test of nerve, resilience, and the hunger to seize the moment on one of tennis’s grandest stages. For Sabalenka, it’s a chance to complete her clay-court redemption arc; for Gauff, it’s an opportunity to solidify her status as the face of the next generation. (AP)
