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All Access at Roland-Garros: A CNN Sports Special. Coco Gauff Defeats Aryna Sabalenka to Win Women's Finals of French Open; Carlos Alcaraz Set to Play Jannik Sinner at Men's Finals of French Open; Former Tennis Champion Rafael Nadal Discusses Potential Tennis Rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired June 07, 2025 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: -- at Roland-Garros is coming up with CNN's Coy Wire. Hi, Coy. So exciting.

[14:30:05]

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: So exciting, Bianna. We are in for 30 minutes of action-packed fun. Our partners at TNT Sports have delivered record viewership and engagement at this year's French Open, and we're bringing you some of the top highlights and analysis from experts on the ground in Paris. All Access at Roland-Garros starts right now.

Hello and welcome to the show. I'm Coy Wire bringing you All Access at Roland-Garros, where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are less than 24 hours away from going toe-to-toe in the men's final, and where Coco Gauff has just become the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams a decade ago. Coco just turned 21 a few months ago, now facing the world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who raced out to a big early lead. All of her shots were on point.

But the match quickly showed promise of being all that we thought it could be. Coco fighting back, forcing a tie breaker with an incredible passing shot off a Sabalenka overhead. But that's when Sabalenka really upped their game. At five all in the breaker, eventually she secures the point that clinched it. Brilliant tennis from Sabalenka, who took the opener seven-six.

But the second set, totally different story. Coco fired up, making a statement with a dominant comeback, powering her way through wild and whirling wind conditions on court. Sabalenka saying afterwards there were some of the worst she'd seen. Gauff wins the second set six games to two.

And in the decider, Sabalenka looking flustered, her body language not what we're used to seeing from the world number one. And Coco, she just shined and took the moment in. She fell to the court, realizing she just won her second Grand Slam title, first ever French Open, six- seven, six-two, six-four. She had been zero and four against world number ones in majors coming in. Look at her give the heart hands to mom and dad proudly cheering in the stands.

Coco would speak with our TNT analyst Sloane Stephens after winning one of the all-time great women's major finals we've seen. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SLOANE STEPHENS, TNT SPORTS: Coco, amazing match today, 2025 Roland- Garros champion. How does it feel?

COCO GAUFF, WINS SECOND CAREER MAJOR, FIRST AT ROLAND-GARROS: Yes, it feels great. It was tough. I don't think either of us were playing great, but I knew as soon as I stepped on the court when I felt that it was windy, it was going to be one of those matches. So I was just trying to give myself the best chance and fight every point.

STEPHENS: Before the match, I said, she's a fighter, but you're an even better fighter. How deep did you have to dig in order to pull that out?

GAUFF: Really deep. I think, especially that last game, I was obviously very nervous. But I think that was, you know, something I'm really proud of, just managing to get another ball back and trying to play with the conditions. So yes.

STEPHENS: OK, we conquered this. What's next?

GAUFF: Hopefully another one. Yes, definitely another one. But for now, just enjoying this one. And yes, I'm just glad to get another title to my resume.

STEPHENS: Congratulations.

GAUFF: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Now Sabalenka was overcome with emotion during her post-match speech, the crowd giving her encouragement, a warm ovation while she was trying to gather herself. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARYNA SABALENKA, THREE-TIME MAJOR WINNER AND WORLD NUMBER ONE: Honestly guys, this will hurt so much, especially after such a tough two weeks. I'm playing great tennis, and in these terrible conditions shows such terrible tennis in the final, that's really hard. But it's OK. Anyway, Coco, congrats. In this tough conditions you were, you were a better player than me. Well done on a great two weeks. And congrats on the second Grand Slam. Well deserved. You're a fighter, hard worker. So congrats to you and your team.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, for more on this outstanding, commanding women's final, we are joined by tennis journalist and author Christopher Clarey who's at Roland-Garros. He wrote "The Warrior, Rafael Nadal and his kingdom of Clay." So he is an expert on all things French Open. Where do we begin, Christopher? So much ground to cover in a final that lasted two hours and 38 minutes, more than enough time to take a stroll through the Louvre. What were your overall impressions of the pomp and the circumstance of this final?

CHRISTOPHER CLAREY, TENNIS JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR: Yes, Coy, one of the crazier, more memorable of all women's finals that I've seen here. And as Coco said, it wasn't pretty, but she got the job done. And major finals are not always about having the tennis be the prettiest. It's about being able to analyze the conditions, keep your head, not panic when things start to go against you.

And honestly, Coco was the more consistent and I think the more clear- headed player out there today. And it's quite a difference in tennis to be a single major winner and to be a multiple major winner. And Coco just joined that club.

And I know the French Open is something, from having covered her for a long time and knowing her family, how much it meant to her to do well here. It's a city she loves. She studied the language even though she didn't bring it out today, Coy, in the ceremony. She wanted to. And I know it really meant a lot to her to not just be a single slam winner.

[14:35:02]

And she's only 21. People forget. I mean, she's been around a long time. She became a star at 15. But here she is, a two-time major winner, and she deserves it.

WIRE: Yes, it seems like she's been around forever because she has on the pro stage. But what a moment for her.

Look, that first set, Christopher, was as close as you can get in a major final. Coco, she seemed though, to have found something in the next two. What was it that she found?

CLAREY: Look, I mean, it was 77 minutes of just huge swings and momentum, huge swings in terms of quality. They were hitting great winners and amazing defensive shots, and then having a tough time putting the ball in the court with the swirling winds and all the emotions.

So it was four-one for Sabalenka, 40-love on her serve. Usually that's a pretty commanding position. Coco reeled her into four-all, ended up losing it in a breaker. But the match really changed there, and it was never quite the same again for Sabalenka.

Third set again, you know, three-love for Coco, Sabalenka reels her into three-all. Coco showed huge tenacity and strength and resourcefulness to be able to pull that out.

WIRE: I'm glad you mentioned that tenacity, Christopher. Coco has two grand slam titles at the age of 21, this one coming after beating the world number one. She's so humble. She's so kind and gentle and poised, but she does play with this tenacity that jumps off the court. How much does that play into her success? CLAREY: Yes, I think Sloane summed it up there in that interview. I

mean, Sabalenka is a huge fighter, but never underestimate Coco. Coco has a great record in three set matches. When she won her first major against Sabalenka, she had to come back at the U.S. Open in 2023, Coy, and that match was an enormous match of grit and resourcefulness.

And you just watch her week to week on the tour. There are a lot of matches like that. I mean, she struggles sometimes with her forehand, with her second serve, but she finds ways to win now. And in order to win this match today, she had to be very, very solid in her head. She said she was shaking and very nervous before the last game when she served it out. But she knows how to handle that better now, and you could really see it today.

WIRE: Yes, no doubt about it. Is this the best rivalry in women's tennis right now? The two were tied head-to-head meetings coming into this showdown. What can we expect from these two moving forward?

CLAREY: You know, it's very promising. I think you're right. I mean, it was five-five coming into today. Now it's six-five in favor of Coco. I mean, Sabalenka was talking about how, you know, this was a match that she normally would win and that, you know, maybe if Swiatek had managed to beat Sabalenka, that she would have beaten Coco today in the final because of her clay court expertise. I think that's selling Coco short. I mean, Coco has got those six wins against Sabalenka and has beaten her now in both their major finals. So that's no coincidence. I think this could be a great rivalry, and I think a match like today is only going to make it better.

WIRE: Thank you so much for taking some time to break down this match with us. Hopefully we get to catch up with you after that enticing juicy men's final that is just a few short hours away. Christopher Clarey, thank you so much for joining us.

And we will get a preview of Sunday's blockbuster men's final. But before you head off to the fridge for a cold one in this commercial break, check out this fun moment after Coco's win, making a video on her cell phone for social. And watch the lid fall off her trophy, crash into the court as she leans in to say that the lighting was bad. Earlier this tournament, Coco showed up to a match and realized she forgot her rackets. No big deal. The likable, fun and funny French Open champ Coco Gauff. More coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:42:56]

WIRE: Welcome back to all access at Roland-Garros. Sunday's men's final is set. Defending champ Carlos Alcaraz will take on world number one Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz leads the all-time head-to-head with Sinner seven to four, and he has the advantage when it comes to grand slams and matches on clay court surfaces as well.

This will be just their second career meeting at Roland-Garros. Alcaraz took Sinner down in the semifinals there just last year. He got to Sunday's final by beating Lorenzo Musetti, who was forced to retire due to injury. Sinner got there by taking down the goat Novak Djokovic, in straight sets on Friday. Djokovic was chasing a record 25th grand slam title. The 23-year-old Sinner is going for his third straight major title. In his win on Friday, he extended his grand slam win streak to 20 matches. Djokovic was fighting his emotions as he walked off the court to huge cheers and a show of respect from the crowd in Paris. We now know what may have been going through Joker's mind in that moment. Here's what he had to say after the match.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, THREE-TIME FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION: This could have been the last match ever I played here. So I don't know. That's why it was a bit, even a bit more emotional in the end. But if this the farewell match of the Roland-Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.

JANNIK SINNER, WORLD NUMBER ONE: He's the best player in the history of our sport. And playing against him here, it's amazing.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Let's bring in now our TNT analyst who knows all about what it takes to win on the famous red clay. Four-time grand slam champion, two-time French Open winner Jim Courier joining us from Roland-Garros. Great to have you, Jim. This men's final generating a lot of questions. One of them, Alcaraz is four-and-zero in major finals. What is it about Carlito that's enabled him to be perfect in major finals?

JIM COURIER, TNT SPORTS ANALYST: Well, he's got the clutch gene, doesn't he? He's got this ambition. He's got all the skills, and he's been able to manage his nerves and his blood pressure in the most intense moments.

[14:45:03]

And can you imagine playing Novak Djokovic in two Wimbledon finals and coming out on top against the all-time great? He's been able to do that, and he's been playing the best clay court tennis of his life coming into this Roland-Garros as the defending champion. So he has a ton of momentum, and he's looked awfully good in the tournament.

WIRE: Not only is he great in the finals, he's great against Sinner. He's had his number the last four years. What is it about the matchup that brings out the best in Carlos?

COURIER: So here's the thing with Carlos and Jannik. They both have very complete games. But what Carlos has is a little bit more variety. He's a little more comfortable hitting drop shots. He's a little more comfortable coming forward to the net. Carlos can confound Jannik in a way that no one else has really been able to do in the last year-and- a-half is with his options. So he plays shapes on his shots. He gets the ball up in the air and then down with drop shots.

Basically, it's asymmetrical warfare coming from the Spaniard, and the Italian much -- he likes much more linear tennis. And he's been beating everybody except for Carlos really in this time. So I'm fascinated to see what adjustments that Jannik might make in this match, given he's lost the last four meetings with Carlos.

WIRE: Asymmetrical warfare, the key for Carlos. I love that.

All right, Sinner has been playing lights out at Roland-Garros, not dropping a single set on his way to the final, taking down the goat Novak Djokovic in the semis. How much of a factor does that play into his mental game heading into this final?

COURIER: Well, it's not just the mental game. That that's huge for your mental game when you've won all of your matches, all six of them, without dropping a set. That is massive for your confidence. And to take out Novak here to reach your first final at Roland-Garros, he got stopped last year in the semis in five tough sets against Alcaraz.

But now he comes into this final, the first one for him, fresh. He'll be fresher. He's had less time on court than Alcaraz. How much might that be a factor? I think it could be because last year when they played here in that five setter, both of them were pretty physically spent. But Sinner actually cramped up in his hand in the middle of the third set. So he was suffering more. He should be with more tank, a fuller tank of gas going into the finals, and he'll need it, because it's going to be an incredibly physical battle between these two young warriors.

WIRE: All right, my last and final and my favorite question, Jim. Who you got, and why?

COURIER: So, look, the logic in my head says that Alcaraz is on a roll. He's won four-and-zero. But if I look at the history of these great rivalries, and this is going to be one of the great rivalries, if they stay healthy, rarely do you see players go on a run for five or six matches in a row. It has to stop somewhere. Changes get made. I feel like this might be Sinner's time. I know Alcaraz is the defending champion. I think all signs point to Carlos, but I'm going the other direction. I'm taking Sinner in four sets.

WIRE: We're so grateful to have you help us understand it all ahead of the big match. Thank you. Jim.

COURIER: My pleasure. Tune in tomorrow. It's going to be great.

WIRE: Now, Carlos and Jannik are great, but they have a long way to go to catch Rafael Nadal's 22 majors. Up next, Rafa gives us his thoughts on this up and coming generation of stars. Stay right here. More coming at you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:53:11]

WIRE: Welcome back to all access at Roland-Garros as we are counting down to Sunday's men's final between the world's top two players, Jannik Sinner and defending champ Carlos Alcaraz. It is worth acknowledging that we may be seeing these two dominate the sport over the next decade or more.

Someone who knows a thing or two about tennis supremacy, 14-time French Open champ Rafael Nadal. CNN's Amanda Davies sat down with the Spanish great to discuss this new and exciting generation in men's tennis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: What do you think of his rivalry with Carlos and Carlos Alcaraz? I mean, is that going to be the next generation of your rivalry and battles?

RAFAEL NADAL, 14-TIME FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION: Well, it's already there. It's already there. You know, last year, two grand slams for each. Of course, if they can bring his rivalry to the next level, you know, in terms of fighting for the most important titles for a long period of time, that will be great news for tennis, because it's going to be another interesting rivalry between two great players. And that's going to be great for our for our sport, no?

We don't need to put them this pressure on about thinking that they have to follow our numbers or not. Let them play. And then at the end of their careers, their careers, were going to see where they are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, that's about all we have time for. But before we go, more on our top story, Coco Gauff winning her second major title. After the match, TNT Sports John Wertheim caught up with Coco's parents to get their take on how it all went down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COREY GAUFF, COCO'S FATHER: Before the match, I told her, I said, she's going to give you the opportunity. You just got to seize those opportunities. So make every tough point.

She's got an incredible ability to fight, and that's her best quality is she fights. She never gives up no matter what the scoreline, because it looked pretty bleak the first set, you know, to be down four-one and down double break. And she pulled it together and she just kept fighting.

[14:55:07]

CANDI GAUFF, COCO'S MOTHER: What I saw mainly was her ability to stay mentally engaged into the match and staying focused, and just believing in herself. You know, it's kind of tough. This is a match. This is championship round. And so you just want to make sure that she does her best. And I think that she put it all together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, from me and my team, thank you for joining us on All Access at Roland-Garros right here on CNN. And congratulations to American sensation Coco Gauff, the new queen of Paris. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD: Coco! Coco! Coco!

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)