Coco Gauff’s meteoric rise in tennis reached a dazzling new peak at the 2025 French Open, where the 21-year-old American clinched her second Grand Slam singles title, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a gripping 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 final. The victory, her first on the red clay of Roland Garros, made her the first American woman to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen since Serena Williams in 2015, cementing her as a worthy heir to her childhood idol’s legacy. But what fueled this historic triumph, which saw Gauff surpass Williams’ record for the youngest American to win 20 French Open singles matches in the Open Era? Former WTA star Rennae Stubbs points to a subtle yet transformative habit: Gauff’s return to playing doubles, a strategic shift that sharpened her singles game and propelled her to greatness.
Gauff’s journey to the 2025 French Open title was one of resilience and reinvention. After a rocky start to the season, marked by early exits at tournaments like Miami, the world No. 2 found her groove on clay, reaching finals in Madrid and Rome before conquering Paris. Her victory over Sabalenka, a rematch of their 2023 US Open final, showcased her mental toughness and tactical acumen. Trailing by a set and facing Sabalenka’s ferocious groundstrokes, Gauff leaned on her defensive prowess and newfound aggression, forcing 70 unforced errors from her opponent. “I don’t think either of us were playing great,” Gauff admitted post-match, noting the windy conditions. “But I knew as soon as I stepped on to the court when I felt that it was windy that it would be one of those matches. So I was just trying to give myself the best chance and fight every point.” Her ability to adapt and persevere echoed the fighting spirit she attributes to role models like Simone Biles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
Stubbs, speaking on her podcast, pinpointed Gauff’s doubles play as the catalyst for her resurgence. “Frankly, I think one of the reasons why Coco Gauff has played well over the last, like, month is she’s started playing a little bit of doubles again,” Stubbs said, suggesting that the format honed Gauff’s net skills and court awareness. At Rome, Gauff partnered with Alexandra Eala to reach the doubles quarterfinals while also making the singles final, a dual effort that seemed to unlock her confidence. “It helps your game, there’s no doubt about it,” Stubbs added, emphasizing how doubles fosters quicker reactions and strategic versatility. Gauff’s doubles success continued at Roland Garros, where she won the title alongside Kateřina Siniaková, becoming the first woman since Williams in 2015 to sweep both singles and doubles at a major.
This strategic return to doubles not only sharpened Gauff’s technical skills but also bolstered her mental resilience, crucial for her grueling three-set battles in Paris. Against Sabalenka, Gauff’s improved serve—honed through doubles’ high-pressure scenarios—helped her hold firm in the third set, where she clinched the title on her second match point. “I think this win was harder than the first [title] because you don’t want to get satisfied with just that one,” she reflected, alluding to her 2023 US Open triumph. Her emotional maturity shone through as she navigated the expectations of being compared to Williams, whom she credits for inspiring her career. “She’s the reason I picked up the racket and the sport,” Gauff said on Good Morning America. “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’s French Open victory, celebrated by luminaries like Spike Lee and Michelle Obama, marked a full-circle moment. Three years earlier, an 18-year-old Gauff had left Roland Garros in tears after a lopsided final loss to Iga Świątek. This time, she channeled those “dark thoughts” into determination, manifesting her win by writing “I will win French Open 2025” repeatedly in her notebook, inspired by Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas. As Gauff now sets her sights on Wimbledon, where she’s yet to advance past the fourth round, her doubles-driven confidence and aggressive mindset—“The biggest thing, I think, is just to be more aggressive,” she told Vogue—could unlock new heights. With her lion-hearted resolve and a game sharpened by doubles, Gauff is not just following in Williams’ footsteps but carving her own path as tennis’ next global icon.
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