This children’s article, Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz win French Open titles in unforgettable finals, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn useful vocabulary, and explore the world of tennis. Written by Mark Pulley, a writer and teacher who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.
A weekend of champions in Paris
This weekend saw two exciting finals at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris. Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz were crowned champions after two unforgettable matches.
Gauff gets her first French Open title
In the women’s final, 21-year-old American Coco Gauff beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff lost the first set in a tie-break, but came back strong to win 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-4.
It’s Gauff’s second Grand Slam title. She also won the US Open in 2023 — again by beating Sabalenka. This time, strong winds made the match tricky, but Gauff stayed calm and focused. She is now the first American woman to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.
After losing in the 2022 final, this was a moment of redemption. “I’m just glad to be back here,” she said. “I was going through a lot of dark thoughts back then.”
Alcaraz wins longest final in Roland Garros history
The men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner lasted 5 hours and 29 minutes, the longest French Open final ever.
Alcaraz, aged 22, lost the first two sets but saved championship points and came back to win 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-2). It was an epic match full of brilliant shots and incredible effort.
This is Alcaraz’s second French Open title and his fifth Grand Slam overall. He now only needs to win the Australian Open to complete a career Grand Slam.
To learn more about the French Open and its history, visit the official Roland Garros website.
Article vocabulary list
- Final – the last match in a sports tournament
- Champion – the winner of a competition
- Tie-break – a special game played to decide a close set
- Focused – able to concentrate and stay calm
- Redemption – doing well after a past failure
- Championship point – the point that could win the match
- Epic – something very large or impressive
- Career Grand Slam – winning all four major tennis tournaments at least once
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. Who did Coco Gauff beat in the French Open final?
a) Serena Williams
b) Iga Swiatek
c) Aryna Sabalenka
Answer: c) Aryna Sabalenka
2. How many Grand Slam titles has Gauff now won?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
Answer: b) Two
3. How long did the men’s final last?
a) 3 hours and 45 minutes
b) 4 hours and 50 minutes
c) 5 hours and 29 minutes
Answer: c) 5 hours and 29 minutes
4. What is the only Grand Slam Carlos Alcaraz has not won yet?
a) Wimbledon
b) Australian Open
c) US Open
Answer: b) Australian Open
5. Where is the French Open held?
a) London
b) Madrid
c) Paris
Answer: c) Paris
Mark is a writer and EFL teacher from England with eight years’ experience. He’s passionate about travel, sport (especially football), animals, nature, and history, and enjoys helping children explore the world through language and learning.
