Paris, June 5 (IANS) For the first time in over a decade, the French Open women’s final will feature the top two players in the world, as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 2 Coco Gauff set up a blockbuster clash for the Roland Garros title.

Sabalenka and Gauff are set to clash for the Roland Garros title after Sabalenka defeated Swiatek and Gauff beat Lois Boisson in the semifinals. Gauff eyes her second Grand Slam title after reaching the final for the second time.

Sabalenka booked her spot in the final by ending Iga Swiatek’s reign in Paris. In a gripping semifinal showdown, the Belarusian defeated the three-time defending champion in three sets, halting Swiatek’s dominance on clay and securing her first-ever appearance in a French Open final.

Shortly after, Gauff kept her dream run alive with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over French wildcard Lois Boisson, whose surprise journey to the semifinals had captured hearts across the tennis world. For Gauff, this will be her second Roland Garros final, having reached the title match in 2022, where she lost to Swiatek.

Now, two years later, the American returns more experienced and with a Grand Slam title already under her belt—her breakthrough win at the 2023 US Open, where she defeated Sabalenka in a memorable three-set final.

The upcoming championship clash marks the 11th meeting between Sabalenka and Gauff. Since Gauff’s US Open triumph, the two have split their last four encounters, setting the stage for an evenly matched and high-stakes battle.

This will be the first time the top two players in the WTA rankings contest a Grand Slam final since the 2018 Australian Open, where then-World No. 1 Simona Halep fell to No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki. At Roland Garros, it hasn’t happened since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova.

–IANS

hs/