Coco Gauff explains the mini-French Open trophy she took home after win

[ad_1] Tennis famous person Coco Gauff took residence an “lovely” reminder of her first French Open title that was capable of match proper into her carry-on bag on the airplane.

Gauff confirmed off her tiny reproduction French Open trophy on TODAY on June 9 — a souvenir she earned after knocking off Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka within the championship match two days earlier at Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

“Most tournaments may have the unique that they hold with them, after which they provide you residence a reproduction,” Gauff defined to Craig Melvin and Savannah Guthrie. “And I didn’t understand it was going to be as small as it's.”

The Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy that tennis followers noticed Gauff hoist over her head in triumph after the match will not be the one which can be in a spot of honor in her residence. Champions are awarded a smaller model as a substitute, which Gauff displayed on TODAY.

Coco Gauff with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy at Roland Garros in Paris on June 7. Julian Finney / Getty Photographs “That is the reproduction trophy that we get to take residence,” she mentioned. “It's lovely. It’s mini-size, just like the little mini-brands, in order that’s what that is. It appears to be like similar to the true one, simply smaller.”

Gauff additionally confirmed the distinction between the precise trophy and the reproduction model in a TikTok video she shared on June 8 whereas touring on a airplane. She reenacted the identical poses she made with the true trophy after her victory, however with the mini-version as a substitute.

She giggled as she in contrast its dimension to a bottle of Perrier and a cup.

“That’s how small it's, however it’s the recollections that matter probably the most,” she mentioned within the video.

Gauff, 21, rallied from a loss within the first set to beat Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 to develop into the primary American girl to win the French Open singles title since her idol, the legendary Serena Williams, did it in 2015.

“I all the time wished to win this title,” she mentioned on TODAY. “I simply felt like this was one which was simply actually meant to be, and to have it occur nonetheless feels so surreal.”

It marked Gauff’s second Grand Slam title in her profession and her first since successful the U.S. Open in 2023.

“The primary one, I felt a bit of bit extra shock instantly after the match,” she mentioned. “This one I simply actually felt deep down prefer it was meant to be, that I wished to do it, and I might do it. So I feel this one was extra simply proud than reduction.”

Sabalenka initially drew controversy along with her post-match remarks to reporters that Gauff solely received the match “not as a result of she performed unimaginable, simply because I made all of these errors.”

She then issued an announcement on her Instagram story on June 8.

“Yesterday was a troublesome one,” she wrote. “Coco dealt with the situations significantly better than I did and absolutely deserved the win. She was the higher participant yesterday, and I wish to give her the credit score she earned.”