Gauff v Sabalenka live: French Open final score and updates

Gauff has the big white headphones clapped to her ears as she waits to emerge, staring forwards with focus. She has a quick check of her phone – maybe to select the perfect walk-on music – before striding out on to the court.

Sabalenka has giant headphones on too but she appears less intense, more relaxed, waving to the crowd as she reaches her seat.

Philippe Chatrier is already full to the brim as fans take their seats ahead of this mouth-watering contest. There’s some on-court pomp to clear away, including a live band, and soon the players will arrive.

The roof is open on Court Philippe-Chatrier despite overcast skies and the forecast of rain in the early evening. It’s another blustery day in Paris as the court is swept following the pre-final ceremony.

Four-time French Open champion Justine Henin will present the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen later, 20 years after the Belgian won her last title at Roland Garros.

This is the first time since 2013 that the World No 1 and World No 2 have met in a Roland Garros final, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and the first time at any grand slam since 2018.

There will also be a meeting of World No 1 and World No 2 tomorrow in the men’s final, when Jannik Sinner plays Carlos Alcaraz.

It’s the first time both World No 1 and World No 2 have met in the men’s and women’s finals at a grand slam since the 2013 US Open, when Novak Djokovic played Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams faced Victoria Azarenka.

With a win today. Aryna Sabalenka can:

• Win a fourth grand slam title, and first outside of the hard-court slams
• Became the only active player to win a singles title at three of the four grand slams
• Set up a bid for the career grand slam at next month’s Wimbledon
• Move one grand slam behind Iga Swiatek’s five, the most among active players

With a win today, Coco Gauff can:

• Win a second grand slam title, and first on clay
• Become the first American player to win Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2015
• Become the youngest American to win Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2002

“I think obviously her ball striking, she can come up with some big shots and big winners pretty much at all areas of the court, so I think her ball striking and also her mentality, she’s a fighter as well.

“She’s going to stay in the match regardless of the scoreline. Her ball striking, serving, and mentality, and obviously there’s a lot of other things, but those are the main three I would say.”

As Coco Gauff prepared for her first French Open final, at the age of 18, the American was overcome with nerves and had already written off her chances when she walked out onto Court Philippe-Chatrier. It was no surprise, then, that Gauff was beaten 6-1 6-3 by Iga Swiatek in a one-sided final three years ago.

The morning after, Gauff stepped out onto the Paris streets and reflected on the pressure she had put on herself. “At first I thought it would be the end of the world if I lost,” Gauff said, “and the sun still rose the next day.”

Three years later, Gauff, now the world No 2, will return for her second French Open final against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The 21-year-old does so as a grand slam champion, having beaten Sabalenka to win the 2023 US Open.

Sabalenka will be the favourite but Gauff has been here before and can take confidence from the experience. “Regardless of the result,” she said, “the sun will still rise.”

In the semi-finals, Aryna Sabalenka completely outplayed four-time champion Iga Swiatek in the biggest demonstration yet of the improvements she has made to her game on the natural surfaces. While the key to her victory may have still been her aggressive returns, Sabalenka has added variety to her attacking game. “[My] whole life I’ve been told it is not my thing and then I didn’t have any confidence,” Sabalenka said. “We’ve been able to develop my game so much.”

But for all that Sabalenka has improved physically, while adding spin and slice to her range of shots, her final against Coco Gauff may come down to a pure battle between attack and defence, between first-time ball-striking and counter-punching.

“I know that the job is not done yet,” said Sabalenka, who spoke as if she and Gauff were preparing for 12 rounds. “I’m ready to go out and I’m ready to fight, and I’m ready to do everything it’s going to take to get the win.”

Against the power of Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff will be the one who is doing the chasing, but the American is also the best mover in the game and it was her resilient defence that turned the tide in their 2023 US Open final. Having to play so many extra balls to finish the points, Sabalenka started to give away many errors and unravelled from a set up.

Sabalenka is now a different player, however, with Gauff highlighting the 27-year-old’s mentality as one of her three biggest strengths, along with her huge ball-striking and serve. Sabalenka’s mental transformation led to two Australian Open titles and the US Open in 2024 and was evident again in her semi-final win over Iga Swiatek.

Once erratic and prone to outbursts, Sabalenka controlled her temperament after Swiatek levelled the match and was clearly superior as she ran away with a dominant final set.

Gauff won her first grand slam final when she defeated Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open final, but they have met four times since then – including on clay in last month’s Madrid Open final. The overall head-to-head is 5-5.

2025: Madrid Open, clay – Sabalenka won in two sets

2024: WTA Finals, hard – Gauff won in two sets

2024: Wuhan, hard – Sabalenka won in two sets

2024: Australian Open, hard – Sabalenka won in two sets

2023: US Open, hard – Gauff won in three sets

2023: Indian Wells, hard – Sabalenka won in two sets

2022: Toronto, hard – Gauff won in three sets

2021: Rome, clay – Gauff won in two sets

2020: Ostrava, hard – Sabalenka won in three sets

2020: Lexington, hard – Gauff won in three sets