Candi and Corey Gauff, the parents of American tennis superstar Coco Gauff, have expressed their feelings after their daughter defeated World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to emerge victorious at the French Open. Notably, Gauff’s victory was the first by an American on Parisian clay since Serena Williams lifted the trophy in 2015.
What Candi and Corey Gauff Feel About Coco Gauff’s French Open Performance
The Gauff family lauded the American’s fighting spirit moments after she overcame a stern test from Sabalenka with a score of 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4.
Asked what Gauff’s victory at the French Open title meant, the World No. 2’s mother said, “Sometimes when you have a loss, you can get down on yourself. But learning that you can pick up (and that) the sun will rise the next day and just keep working at your craft.”
Candi went on to describe her daughter’s performance in the final as ‘amazing,’ saying, “She never gave up, she fought to the end, and she allowed herself to hold up the trophy.” Gauff’s mother also hailed the tennis star’s ability to stay ‘mentally engaged’ throughout the match, staying focused, and believing in herself.
Corey asserted that Gauff showed an ‘incredible ability to fight,’ which was on display during the final as things looked “bleak” after she dropped a tight first set in a tie-breaker.
“(Coco’s ability to fight) is her best quality,” Corey said. “She pulled it together, and she kept fighting.” Before the fight, Coco’s father revealed that he had assured her that Sabalenka would give her opportunities and urged her to make the best of those opportunities.
Meanwhile, Gauff admitted that her fighting spirit got her through Azarenka in the final. In her press conference, Gauff said, “It really came down to the last few points, but overall I’m just really happy with the fight that I managed today. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, and that’s all that matters.”
How the World Has Reacted to Coco Gauff’s French Open Win
Congratulations have been pouring in for Gauff following her hard-fought win over World No. 1 Sabalenka in the French Open final.
Former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama commended the American superstar on her win and asserted that she had made them proud.
The 74th US President wrote, “Congratulations to @CocoGauff for an amazing championship at the French Open — the first American singles champion at @RolandGarros in a decade. You make us all proud.”
Basketball superstar LeBron James agreed with Obama’s statement. “Congratulations my fellow flag bearer,” the NBA legend added.
I SECOND THAT!!! Congratulations my fellow flag bearer @CocoGauff 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🤎 https://t.co/DAWugITVZy
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 7, 2025
Even Hollywood stars, including Oscar winners Matthew McConaughey and Spike Lee, have reacted with excitement at the Americans’ big win.
