How Coco Gauff’s French Open Comeback Just Rewrote American Tennis History

When you scan the score-card of the 2025 French Open, one name leaps off the page: Coco Gauff. A 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 win over world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka not only marked her second Grand Slam title but signalled a seismic shift in American women’s tennis. The last time an American woman lifted the trophy in Paris was in 2015. For Coco—just 21—to do it now, amid all the pressure and expectation, is nothing short of remarkable.

But this triumph isn’t just about that sparkling trophy. It’s the sum of every crushing critique, every double fault, every time she asked herself: “Am I really the one who can finish it?” Back in 2022 she lost in that very final. She admitted she under-prepared mentally. Now she emerged stronger, smarter and ruthless when it counted. Her forehand, once targeted as a weakness, is now a weapon; her movement, once elegant, is dominating.

Off the court the story gets even richer. Coco has launched her own management company—Coco Gauff Enterprises—to steer her business and philanthropic journey. She’s earned tens of millions, yes—but more importantly, she’s reinvesting in her future and in others. A $100 K scholarship fund for tennis-playing students at historically Black colleges underscores the depth behind her drive.

Still, she doesn’t rest on laurels. Despite her French Open glory, there are serve woes haunting her hard-court swing—dropping first-serve percentage and double-faulting too often. A seasoned former WTA star noted that if Coco irons out this technical wobble, “she could be dominant.” The irony: the biggest threat to her legacy might be her own margin for imperfection.

That tension fuels her story. We are watching a young woman who has already achieved so much, but refuses to plateau. She aims for a season where she is not just the champion but the benchmark. She’s thinking about life after tennis even now—not because she has to, but because she knows longevity demands vision. She knows the world will remember the trophies, but the self-made empire and the people she uplifts will tell a deeper tale.

In a sport defined by legacy, Coco Gauff is writing hers in real-time. And unless the tennis world intervenes, she might just become the story we all still failed to fully expect.