Women’s Final at Roland Garros: Sabalenka vs. Gauff
A new champion will be crowned on Saturday at the French Open. Will it be Aryna Sabalenka, world number one, or Coco Gauff, number two? Sabalenka already has three Grand Slam titles, while Gauff has one, but neither has won at Roland Garros.
Next, we analyze how each one could achieve victory.
What can Gauff do to beat Sabalenka?
Gauff needs to secure more than 60% of her first serves to have a chance. Her speed on the court allows her to cover a lot of ground and wear down Sabalenka, but she cannot afford service errors and needs to control double faults.
Rennae Stubbs
Gauff has the game to trouble Sabalenka. The backhand-to-backhand exchange will be crucial. She will need a high percentage of first serves because Sabalenka will punish second serves.
Simon Cambers
Gauff has shown great mental fortitude to overcome difficult situations. If she manages to maintain her belief, experience, and emotional maturity, along with a good serve and her characteristic defense, a second Grand Slam title is within her reach.
D’Arcy Maine
The key for Gauff is consistency. She must avoid dips in her serve and accuracy. Gauff has the experience of playing a major final at Roland Garros and will channel that disappointment into Saturday’s match.
Tom Hamilton
What can Sabalenka do to beat Gauff?
Sabalenka must take advantage of the second serves and put pressure on Gauff’s forehand. She needs to serve well and shorten the points to prevent Gauff from wearing her down physically and mentally.
Rennae Stubbs
Sabalenka believes that, playing her best tennis, she will win. She needs to serve well and go for Gauff’s serve when the first one fails. Sabalenka has little margin for error, but as she demonstrated in the semifinal against Iga Swiatek, she can play with more effect and security when necessary.
Simon Cambers
Sabalenka needs to play exactly as she did in the deciding set against Swiatek. If she does, it’s hard to see who could stop her. Sabalenka won their most recent encounter 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the Madrid final last month and, in addition to the confidence that victory gives her, she has a game plan to win again on clay. If she can focus on the match and not the magnitude of the moment, the trophy is hers to win.
D’Arcy Maine
Sabalenka recently defeated Gauff in the Madrid Open final just before the French Open began.
Sabalenka must avoid pressing and making errors against Gauff’s speed and defense. If she manages to split the long points, that gives her a great advantage and forces Gauff to match power for power in the shorter points, tipping the balance in Sabalenka’s favor.
Bill Connelly
Sabalenka has the variety of shots to trouble Gauff and will punish any erratic serve. If she finds the level she showed in the third set against Swiatek, no player on the planet will be able to stand up to her. Sabalenka’s quiet confidence is ominous.
Tom Hamilton
Who will win?
Sabalenka by a slight margin in three sets.
Rennae Stubbs
Sabalenka needs to win to be considered one of the greatest of all time, and that’s the extra motivation she needs. Gauff can be dangerous with nothing to lose, but when the pressure mounts, it probably won’t be enough. Sabalenka in two sets.
Simon Cambers
Sabalenka in three sets. Sabalenka’s performance against Swiatek has made me rethink my initial choice. Knowing how much she would like to win a hard court Grand Slam and avenge the 2023 US Open final, a victory for Sabalenka seems almost inevitable.
D’Arcy Maine
Sabalenka is the best player in the world and, although she doesn’t always win the finals, I think she will take this one. A three-set match wouldn’t be a surprise at all.
Bill Connelly
Reasoning suggests this is Sabalenka’s title, but the incalculable quality of Gauff’s quiet determination will swing this title in her favor. If she comes out flying from the start, then the title is Gauff’s.
Tom Hamilton
