The stage has been perfectly set for the women’s singles final at the French Open, with Coco Gauff coming out as the victor. The match was tight between her and Aryna Sabalenka – two of the best players in women’s tennis at the moment. Just a few minutes ahead of the women’s singles final, news was revealed about the person who will be presenting the prestigious winner’s title to the champion.

In a tweet posted by ITWA member and renowned tennis reporter Michal Samulski, it was revealed that Justine Henin will be present at Court Philippe-Chatrier to award the trophy to the women’s singles champion. A 4-time champion here, the Belgian star is set to receive a warm reception when she steps on the court during the presentation ceremony later today. Meanwhile, the men’s singles champion will get his trophy from Andre Agassi tomorrow. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the top two seeds, will battle it out in the men’s singles final on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff produced one of the most striking comebacks of her young career to clinch the 2025 Roland-Garros crown. After dropping a nip-and-tuck first set in a 7-6 (5) tiebreak, she seized control by racing through the second 6-2, breaking Aryna Sabalenka’s serve three times and never allowing the world No. 1 a foothold.

In the deciding set, Coco Gauff sustained that momentum—mixing deep, penetrating returns with lightning-fast court coverage—to seal the title with a 6-4 finish on her second match point. The 21-year-old American collapsed onto the clay in relief and triumph, having weathered long rallies, shifting winds and Sabalenka’s booming groundstrokes to capture her first French Open and her second major overall. Now, for the presenter of the Women’s Singles Champion’s Trophy, the French Open has been a special destination.

It is at this very tournament where Henin won her maiden Grand Slam title in 2003, and it set the tone perfectly for her to succeed further. Interestingly, in 1992, when she was 10 years old, Henin witnessed the final between Graf and Seles. Seated beside her mother, Henin said to her, “Mom, someday I will play on this court and I will be Roland Garros champion’. She looked at me and replied, ‘It’s very nice to have dreams.’ Since that day, that dream became a mission.”

Years after her retirement, Henin received the perfect tribute from the French Open as she was presented with the opportunity to hand over the trophy to the champion. Not only was she successful on the red dirt of Roland Garros, but also her best tennis memory came at this very tournament. Recently, Henin explained which Grand Slam title stood out for her.

With Coco Gauff’s win, Justine Henin shares a special French Open memory

Back in 2007, Henin made it to another French Open final. In the summit clash, she was due to face Ana Ivanovic, who was an upcoming star back then. The Belgian star absolutely dominated the final, defeating Ivanovic in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. Interestingly, she won the tournament without dropping a set.

Talking about that win, Henin said, “Of course, the other titles were also very special. I think of the 2007 one, which meant my third consecutive victory. In that span from 2003 to 2007, I was fortunate to be among the best on the circuit; I was blessed. Of all my seasons during that time, I would choose 2007, where I also won the US Open.”

Further, she went on to add, “That year I played the best tennis of my entire career, achieving a good streak after Wimbledon until the end of the year. When I finished the season as the world No. 1, I began to think more about my private life and how I wanted to redistribute my time.”

Coco Gauff’s victory moves her to a 6–5 lead in their head-to-head while also narrowing the WTA points gap between the two rivals, signaling a new era at the very summit of the women’s game. Moments later, four-time champion Justine Henin will take her place on Court Philippe-Chatrier to present the women’s singles trophy—offering a poetic callback to the 10-year-old Henin’s childhood dream. As Paris prepares for tomorrow’s men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Gauff’s triumph stands as a testament to her resilience and growing stature on clay.