At just 18 years old, Gauff stepped onto the court at the 2022 French Open final, facing then-world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who was in unstoppable form with a 34-match winning streak. The Polish phenom made it 35 that day, defeating Gauff 6–1, 6–3. It was a tough loss but it didn’t break her. Instead, it fueled her. That same fire led her to the 2023 US Open title, where she beat Aryna Sabalenka, becoming the youngest American woman to win the tournament since Serena Williams in 1999.
Then came full circle: Paris.
Now 21, Gauff returned to the French Open final in 2025 back to the site of that heartbreaking loss. Her opponent? Once again, Aryna Sabalenka. The stakes were layered: redemption for Gauff, revenge for Sabalenka.
Gauff dropped the first set in a tight 6-7 battle. But adversity is where she thrives. She rallied back with grit and grace, winning the next two sets 6-2 and 6-4. With that, she became the first American singles champion at Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2015.
The road from heartbreak to triumph wasn’t just paved with talent it was built on resilience. In the post-match press conference, Gauff spoke about what powered her comeback:
“I’ve always had a fighting spirit naturally, but staying positive is something I’ve had to work on,” she explained. “I try to reset, stay mentally strong, and bring the best version of myself. I’ve drawn inspiration from athletes like Sydney McLaughlin and Simone Biles women who push themselves to the limit.”
This wasn’t the first time Gauff cited Biles as a role model. In a 2024 interview with Shining Crown, she mentioned how she’s inspired by Biles’ advocacy for mental health and also named sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson as a source of motivation.
Simone Biles’ impact stretches far beyond gymnastics. Known for her unmatched achievements including five eponymous skills across apparatuses Biles changed the conversation around mental health in elite sport. Her decision to withdraw from several events during Tokyo 2020 due to the “twisties” sparked a global reckoning on athlete well-being. The U.S. Olympic team had even planned to bring a therapy dog, Beacon, to Paris 2024 to support athletes emotionally, though travel logistics prevented it.
Similarly, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has redefined what’s possible in track and field. Between 2021 and 2024, she smashed six world records in the 400m hurdles, culminating in a breathtaking 50.37 seconds at the Paris Olympics. Yet her legacy goes far beyond the stopwatch. Off the track, she champions athlete rights and mental health awareness, founding the Champion’s Way Foundation and pledging $50 million toward youth sports and mental health support in underserved areas.
Gauff’s admiration for both Biles and McLaughlin isn’t just talk. She and McLaughlin are New Balance ambassadors and appeared together in the brand’s 2023 “Together in Sport” campaign. In 2024, Gauff publicly praised McLaughlin’s sneaker line, and the mutual respect between the two was evident in their warm social media exchange.
In Coco Gauff’s journey from crushed hopes in Paris to Grand Slam glory there’s a throughline of inspiration, resilience, and the courage to return. She’s part of a new generation of athletes rewriting not just record books, but the emotional narrative of what it means to win.
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