Coco Gauff is no longer just a rising star; she’s a two-time Grand Slam champion. The 21-year-old American staged a gutsy comeback in the French Open final, toppling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in a pulsating battle. The showdown in Paris marked the first women’s final between the top two seeds at Roland Garros since Serena Williams dismantled Maria Sharapova in 2013. And fittingly, it was Gauff, who grew up idolizing Serena, who rose to the moment with striking composure and tactical precision. But that’s not where the similarity ends.

After narrowly dropping a tense first-set tiebreak, Coco Gauff hit reset. She tightened up her service games, stepped in on returns, and shifted the rhythm with a mix of heavy topspin and fearless shot-making. The result? A storming turnaround to lift her first French Open trophy—and become the youngest American to do so since, yes, Serena Williams in 2002. She’s also the first American to win the title in Paris after Serena Williams lifted the trophy in 2015.

But the parallels don’t stop there. Just like Serena Williams, Coco Gauff burst onto the Grand Slam scene as a teenager at the US Open—Serena was 17 when she stunned Martina Hingis in 1999, while Gauff was 19 when she toppled Aryna Sabalenka in 2023. At 20, both added the WTA Finals to their growing résumés. Serena beat Lindsay Davenport, and Gauff beat Qinwen Zheng. And now, in Paris, destiny has brought them together again. Gauff has claimed her first French Open title at 21, the same age Serena was when she lifted the trophy in 2002 after beating her sister Venus Williams. This time, Coco Gauff had to take down the most dominant player of the time to get there, and she did it with grit, poise, and the echoes of her idol’s greatness.

Coco Gauff has never been shy about her tennis inspiration. From the beginning, it’s always been Serena Williams. Apparently, the 23-time Grand Slam champion is the reason Gauff picked up a racket. Her dad, Corey, shared a story in Rolex’s YouTube series Game Changer. At age 5, the two were watching Serena win her fifth Australian Open title in 2010. “I remember saying, ‘Man, she’s going to be the GOAT,’” Corey recalled. “And [Coco] said, ‘What is the GOAT?’ And I said, ‘That’s the Greatest of All Time,’ and she’s like, ‘I want to be a GOAT!’ So I ran out and bought her a racquet. That’s how it all started.”

From that moment on, Gauff knew who she wanted to be. She’s carried that same ambition through every match. The 21-year-old has also carried that respect for the American tennis icon. “I think that she’s obviously the greatest and I think that her mindset, her athletic ability, her power, her personality, and, like presence that she led in the sport, I think is very inspiring,” she said. “So, to me, that’s why she’s my favorite.”

The dream came full circle on Saturday as Gauff lifted her first French Open trophy. This was more than just a title; it was redemption.

Coco Gauff reflects on the win that mattered most

Three years ago, Coco Gauff sat on the same court, draped in a towel, crying after losing to Iga Swiatek in the final. That image stuck with her, but so did Gauff’s promise to return stronger. She cried more this time, but they were tears of joy.

“I was going through a lot of things when I lost here three years ago,” she said during the trophy ceremony. “I’m just glad to be back here. I was going through a lot of dark thoughts.” This time, things were different. Gauff came into Paris with momentum after strong clay runs in Madrid and Rome. Even without a title, her consistent performances had made her a genuine threat. “Three finals… I guess I got the most important win—that’s all that matters,” she smiled.

Now 21, she’s not just following in Serena Williams’ footsteps; she’s starting to carve her own path. Can Coco Gauff keep this incredible run going? What do you think?