In a moment that resonated deeply with tennis fans worldwide, Coco Gauff stood on the clay of Roland Garros, clutching the French Open trophy after a hard-fought victory, and paid an emotional tribute to her idol, Serena Williams. The 21-year-old American, who became the first U.S. woman to win the title since Williams in 2015, expressed awe at being mentioned in the same breath as the 23-time Grand Slam champion. “For me, to be able to be in any conversation with her—obviously she has her own legacy that will never be touched—but for me just to even have like a 5% of that means so much to me,” Gauff said after her thrilling comeback against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 victory on June 7, 2025, marked Gauff’s second Grand Slam title, solidifying her status as a rising star carrying the torch for American tennis.
Gauff’s journey to the French Open crown was anything but straightforward. Facing a formidable opponent in Sabalenka, she battled back from a first-set deficit in windy conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier. After dropping the tiebreak, Gauff found her rhythm, racing to a 5-2 lead in the second set with a forehand overhead winner and breaking Sabalenka’s serve multiple times in the decider. Her resilience shone through as she converted her second match point with a crosscourt forehand, collapsing onto the clay in disbelief. “I didn’t think honestly that I could do it,” Gauff admitted on court, quoting rapper Tyler, the Creator: “If I ever told you I had a doubt inside me, I must be lying.” The win, which earned her nearly $2.9 million, made her the youngest American woman to claim Roland Garros since Williams in 2002, and only the seventh U.S. woman to win the title in the Open Era.
The victory held deeper significance for Gauff, who has long drawn inspiration from Serena and Venus Williams. As a child, she watched Serena’s 2010 Australian Open triumph alongside her father, Corey, a moment that sparked her ambition to become a “GOAT” herself. “She’s the reason I picked up the racket and the sport and have the belief that I do,” Gauff said, reflecting on how Williams’ dominance gave her the confidence to pursue tennis in a predominantly white sport. Her connection to the Williams sisters runs deep—Gauff recalls being just eight years old, sitting second-row at the 2012 US Open, mesmerized by Venus. That memory, coupled with Serena’s trailblazing legacy, fueled her drive. “Dreaming big and watching her compete in real life… It’s just crazy to say that 10 years later, I’m here with that trophy after she held it,” she added, her voice thick with emotion.
Gauff’s path to this milestone has been shaped by both triumphs and challenges. Her 2023 US Open title, where she also overcame Sabalenka in three sets, marked her as the first American teenager to win the event since Williams in 1999. However, 2024 brought struggles, including a fourth-round exit at the US Open marred by 19 double faults and 60 unforced errors. Critics, including Serena’s former coach Rennae Stubbs, pointed to technical flaws in her serve and forehand, with Stubbs noting, “The difference with Coco is that sometimes she was hitting at like in a mid-90s second serve, then she was going a little bit slower in the middle.” Yet, Gauff’s work with new coach Matt Daly paid dividends in Paris, where she kept her double faults below six, a threshold Stubbs believed could make her unstoppable. “If she serves less than six double faults in her matches, she will win them all,” Stubbs had predicted during the WTA Finals.
Beyond her technical growth, Gauff’s mental transformation has been remarkable. She has spoken candidly about battling self-doubt, once feeling “paralyzing” pressure to perfect her game. With guidance from mentors like Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached her at his academy from age 10, Gauff learned to embrace her humanity and reframe setbacks. “Patrick helped me push all that aside and taught me how to focus on the game itself,” she wrote in the foreword to Mouratoglou’s book, *Champion Mindset*. Her French Open triumph was a testament to this newfound resilience, as she navigated a high-stakes final with composure and confidence.
As Gauff looks to the grass courts of Wimbledon, where she has yet to advance past the fourth round, her admiration for Williams continues to guide her. “It means a lot to be the first American woman to win the French Open since Serena,” she said, beaming with pride. With two Grand Slam titles at 21, Gauff is carving her own legacy while honoring the woman who inspired her to dream big. Whether she achieves “5%” or more of Williams’ success, Gauff’s journey is a powerful reminder that greatness inspires greatness, and American tennis is in capable hands.
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