On June 7, 2025, Coco Gauff stood atop the clay courts of Roland Garros, clutching the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen after a hard-fought 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open final. The 21-year-old American’s second Grand Slam title, following her 2023 US Open triumph, was a dazzling display of resilience and skill, but it was her mental fortitude—rooted in the late Kobe Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality”—that stole the narrative. Gauff’s journey to her first French Open crown was not just a testament to her athletic prowess but a tribute to the enduring influence of an NBA icon whose belief in her potential shaped her path to greatness.
Gauff’s bond with Bryant began long before she became a household name. As a teenage prodigy who burst onto the scene at Wimbledon 2019 by defeating Venus Williams at age 15, Gauff caught the eye of Bryant, a tennis enthusiast who saw echoes of his own relentless drive in her game. “Kobe talked about her a lot before,” recalled CBS Sports’ Isabel Gonzalez on the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast, highlighting how Bryant, despite his grueling NBA schedule, made time to watch Gauff at the US Open. His admiration wasn’t just casual fandom; it was a mentorship that left an indelible mark. Gauff, in turn, embraced Bryant’s philosophy of unwavering focus and problem-solving, which she credited for her 2023 US Open win. “That’s the mentality [Kobe’s] that I have,” she said then, a mindset that proved pivotal in Paris.
The French Open final was a battle of wills. Sabalenka, the world No. 1 with a ferocious game and a tiger tattoo to match, stormed to a 4-1 lead in the first set, exploiting windy conditions that disrupted Gauff’s rhythm. The American, known for her lightning-fast footwork and defensive mastery on clay, refused to crumble. “Losing would not be the end of the world,” she told herself, a mantra that allowed her to reset and play with freedom. “I was able to loosen up after that and play a little bit freer,” Gauff later shared, echoing Bryant’s advice to “always focus on the craft” and find joy in overcoming obstacles, as her father, Corey, once relayed. Despite dropping the first set in a tiebreak, Gauff roared back, forcing Sabalenka into 70 unforced errors while keeping her own to 30.
Bryant’s Mamba Mentality—famously encapsulated in his 2009 NBA Finals quip, “What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished”—was Gauff’s guiding light. She channeled that focus in the third set, breaking Sabalenka with a breathtaking lob and net winner, then sealing the match when her opponent’s backhand misfired. Collapsing in tears on the clay, Gauff admitted, “I didn’t think honestly that I could do it,” a rare glimpse into the self-doubt she conquered through Bryant’s teachings. Her victory made her the first American woman to French Open since Serena Williams in 2015 and the youngest at 21 since Williams in 2002, cementing her as tennis’s new torchbearer.
Off the court, Gauff’s connection to the Bryant family deepened the moment’s poignancy. On June 10, she attended a WNBA game between the New York Liberty and Chicago Sky, sitting courtside with Vanessa Bryant and her daughters, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. The Barclays Center crowd gave her a standing ovation, prompting Gauff to post on X, “Never felt so seen outside the tennis court.” The Bryants, who have embraced Gauff as part of their extended family, were a source of strength, honoring Kobe’s legacy as a father who championed young athletes. Their support was a reminder of the bond forged when Gauff was a rising star, a kid with big dreams and a bigger idol.
As Gauff eyes Wimbledon, where her grass-court game has yet to fully shine, she carries Bryant’s lessons forward. Her French Open triumph was more than a trophy; it was a celebration of perseverance, inspired by a man whose voice still resonates in her game. From a teenage prodigy to a two-time Grand Slam champion, Gauff’s journey mirrors the relentless spirit of the Mamba, proving that Kobe Bryant’s legacy lives on in every forehand she unleashes, in every match, and every fearless rally.
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