Coco Gauff, at 21 years old, achieved a significant milestone in her career by winning her first French Open title at Roland Garros, marking her second Grand Slam victory.

In a dramatic three-set final on Saturday, Gauff, ranked World No. 2, battled from behind to secure the win against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4. She skillfully mastered difficult conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier. This championship victory occurred two days before Gauff appeared on the TODAY show on June 9th to discuss her triumph and showcase her unique trophy.

Gauff’s triumph came three years after a challenging 2022 French Open final where, at 18, she was defeated 6-1, 6-3 by Iga Swiatek, a loss that left her visibly emotional during the trophy ceremony. This year, however, she gritted through to proudly lift the coveted Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.

A unique tradition at Roland Garros means that the full-sized Coupe Suzanne Lenglen remains with the tournament in Paris, as Gauff confirmed the trophy "stays with the tournament". Instead, champions are awarded a "mini replica" to take home. Gauff humorously revealed this on her flight and later showcased the keepsake on the TODAY show.

Gauff shared her amusement about the replica's size in a TikTok video on June 8th, where she compared it to a French water bottle and a cup, reenacting her victory poses. "It’s the memories that matter the most," she chuckled. On the TODAY show, she described the replica: "I didn’t know it was going to be as small as it is. It is adorable. It’s mini-size, like the little mini-brands... It looks just like the real one, just smaller." She also reiterated her sentiment from TikTok, stating, "That's how small it is, but it's the memories that matter the most."

This French Open win holds special significance as Gauff became the first American woman to clinch the singles title since her idol, Serena Williams, in 2015. Reflecting on the victory, Gauff expressed, "I always wanted to win this title... I just felt like this was one that was just really meant to be, and to have it happen still feels so surreal."

Compared to her first Grand Slam win at the US Open in 2023 (where she also beat Sabalenka), Gauff felt differently: "The first one, I felt a little bit more shock immediately after the match. This one I just really felt deep down like it was meant to be, that I wanted to do it, and I could do it. So I think this one was more just proud than relief." Gauff was also keen to demonstrate that her US Open victory was not an isolated event, stating, "I just wanted to prove to people that I can do it again."

Her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka, initially drew controversy with post-match remarks that Gauff won "not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes." However, Sabalenka later issued a statement on Instagram on June 8th, clarifying: "Yesterday was a tough one. Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win. She was the better player yesterday, and I want to give her the credit she earned.”

Gauff’s victory was one of two epic finals at Roland Garros that weekend. The men's final saw Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner engage in their own five-set classic, which clocked in at five hours and 29 minutes, reportedly becoming the second longest Grand Slam final of all time.