Coco Gauff Explains Why She Didn’t Deliver Her Roland Garros Champion Speech in French

Coco Gauff improved her head-to-head lead over Aryna Sabalenka after a thrilling French Open final.

Coco Gauff Explains Why She Didn’t Deliver Her Roland Garros Champion Speech in French

Coco Gauff (Image via X/Coco Gauff)

Coco Gauff thought about writing something in French to address the Roland Garros crowd. But as she didn’t want to jinx her match, she dropped the idea.

Gauff has been learning French Open but she hasn’t completely mastered the language. Writing something on paper would have helped. As she didn’t utter a single word in French after winning the title on Saturday (June 7), she is hoping to win another time and fulfill her wish.

Yeah, I thought about saying in the ceremony how I really tanked on my French ‘coz I was like…I thought for so long when I was studying French that I would do this in French. And I completely tanked on that. So maybe if I can get another opportunity, I can try again at least. For sure, I don’t think I can do the whole speech.

Coco Gauff said at the press conference

Against Gauff was Aryna Sabalenka, who entered the final as the favorite to win, given that she defeated Gauff in this year’s Madrid Open final and also played six finals, winning three this season before arriving in Paris.

But it was the American who prevailed over her with a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 scoreline in two hours and 38 minutes to become French Open singles champion for the first time. It was the first Roland Garros final in over a decade between a World No.1 and a World No.2.

Gauff improved her head-to-head record over the Belarusian to 6-5 and also took a 2-1 lead in their meetings on clay. After her Madrid Open defeat, the 21-year-old reached consecutive final on clay but her first title of the season still eluded her. She was defeated by Jasmine Paolini in the Italian Open before finally she tasted success in the ultimate clay-court tournament.

Chris Evert heaps massive praise on Coco Gauff after her French Open win

Coco Gauff is the youngest American to win the French Open since Serena Williams‘ victory in 2002. Gauff has also become the first American after the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion (2015) to lift the clay-court Major.

Coco Gauff Roland Garros
Coco Gauff (image via Roland Garros)

Before her, several women from her country tasted success in Paris, and one of them achieved the most here. It’s 18-time Grand Slam singles winner Chris Evert, who lifted seven titles at the French Open. Evert, following Gauff’s win lavished special praise on the youngster, calling her a “wonderful person” who “really speaks out for things she believes in“.

The only thing I have to say about Coco Gauff aside from the great tennis, the great tennis IQ, and how smart she is, how wonderful an athlete she is, is that she is a wonderful person. She has amazing parents who really kept her feet on the ground and grounded her. She just handles stardom with such humility. I think more than just being a great tennis player, she is a great girl.

Chris Evert told TNT Sports

Gauff is now a two-time Grand Slam singles champion. Last year, she lost in the semifinal to eventual winner Iga Swiatek but with Katerina Siniakova, she became a doubles champion, with the pair beating Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. In Paris, Gauff played her first Major final- back in 2022 which she lost to Swiatek, who is now a four-time French Open champion.

Gauff also holds a 2-0 win-loss record over Aryna Sabalenka in Grand Slam finals as before the French Open, she became a US Open champion back in 2023 by beating Sabalenka. The 27-year-old is 3-3 in Major summit clashes, registering all the defeats to Americans (Gauff at the US Open and French Open, and Madison Keys in this year’s Australian Open).

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