Coco Gauff Sets Impressive French Open Record, Following Serena Williams’ Footsteps
Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old American tennis prodigy, made history at the 2025 French Open by becoming the youngest U.S. player in the Open Era to secure 20 women’s singles wins at Roland Garros, surpassing a record previously set by her idol, Serena Williams. Gauff achieved this milestone at 21 years and 4 months with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over Australian Olivia Gadecki in the first round on May 27, 2025. Williams had reached the same 20-win mark just months shy of her 22nd birthday, making Gauff’s feat a testament to her precocious talent and clay-court prowess.
Gauff’s journey at Roland Garros has been remarkable. She reached her first Grand Slam final in 2022 at age 18, though she lost to Iga Swiatek. In 2024, she advanced to the semi-finals, again falling to Swiatek in a competitive three-set match. Her 2025 campaign continued her consistent excellence, as she stormed into the semi-finals without dropping a set, defeating players like Tereza Valentova (6-2, 6-4) and Madison Keys to reach her fifth consecutive French Open quarter-final. This achievement made her the youngest player to reach five or more quarter-finals at a single Grand Slam since Venus Williams at the 2001 US Open, further aligning her with the Williams sisters’ legacy.
Gauff’s record-breaking performance echoes Serena Williams’ impact, as both players have been trailblazers for American tennis. Gauff, who credits Serena and Venus for inspiring her to pick up a racket, also became the second American after Jennifer Capriati to reach the French Open Round of 16 four times before turning 21, a mark Serena never achieved due to less consistent early clay results. Gauff’s 2025 run included a notable moment of levity when she forgot her rackets before the Gadecki match, prompting laughter from the crowd as a ball boy retrieved her mint-colored racket bag.
With a 2023 US Open title and a 2024 WTA Finals crown under her belt, Gauff’s clay-court milestone—surpassing Serena’s record—underscores her potential to redefine American tennis while honoring her idol’s legacy.
