
WATCH: French Open Champions Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz celebrate with ball kids
Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz emerged as the champions in women's and men's singles category at the French Open 2025.
Both athletes came back from behind to clinch their respective titles. While Gauff came back after losing the first set against Aryna Sabalenka, Alcaraz pulled off one of the greatest come backs after losing the first two sets and saving three championships points against world number one Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz and Sinner played for 5 hour 29 minutes and the title was decided in the tie-breaker of the last set making it the longest final of French Open in the open era.
Only the best! #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/9YmZF7vv4H
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2025
As both the players celebrated their respective wins, a particular moment stood out where both of them celebrated with the ball kids after getting the trophy.
Carlos Alcaraz celebrating his Roland-Garros victory with the ball kids ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XOwMgo68ZN
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 8, 2025
In the video posted by Roland Garros on X, Gauff can be seen telling the ball kids, 'You are awesome'. Then she proceeds to celebrate with them, high-five all of them, take pictures and let them touch the trophy. In another video posted by various media outlets, the ball kids cheered Gauff all the way as she walked down the stairs with her trophy shouting 'Coco,coco'.
PURE JOY 🧡 #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/BrEhsO3ClD
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025
Similarly, in couple of videos posted by Roland Garros, Alcaraz can been celebrating with the kids. In the first video, he goes on doing a celebratory walk and joins them in huddle cheering and jumping. While in the another video, he is seen walking down the stairs like Gauff and ball kids cheering his name and Alcaraz celebrating with them.
In the 2024 edition of the tournament when Alcaraz won defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany in the final, he celebrated similarly with the ball kids.
Among all the memorable moments from the tournament and specially the epic men's singles final, the celebration with ball kids certainly stand out.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
44 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Rafael Nadal's La Decima-winning French Open racquet sells for record price of INR 49 lakh
The Babolat racquet that Rafael Nadal used to complete La Decima at the Roland Garros eight years ago was sold at a Prestige Memorabilia auction on Sunday for a record price of $157,333.20 (INR 49.12 lakh), which included buyer's premium. It became the most expensive racquet sold at an auction, surpassing his previous record of $139,700 (INR 11.96 lakh), which he acquired at Sotheby's in 2023 by selling the racquet he used during the 2022 Australian Open, where he beat Daniil Medvedev in the final. In 2017, Nadal defeated Stan Wawrinka in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 to complete an unprecedented 10th French Open win. The win was all the more significant as he did not drop a single set en route to the title, which he won four more times in his career before retiring from professional tennis in 2024. "To find a Grand Slam Final-used racket from Rafael Nadal is rare," reads the Prestige Memorabilia lot description. "To find one photomatched across an entire clay season (and more) -- capped by a French Open title -- is unprecedented." The custom-made racquet has a 'Rafa' emblem at the throat and a sticker reading 'RG 2017 Nadal'. Nadal attended the 2025 French Open for his farewell ceremony on Court Philippe Chatrier, which was graced by the other members of the Big Four. The organisers shared a small tribute clip as the crowd, donning 'Merci Rafa' shirts, gave a standing ovation. The organising committee ended the hour-long event by unveiling the iconic plaque on Court Philippe Chatrier, bearing Nadal's footprint along with the number 14 inscribed on it. 'When I (saw) that, I thought it was going to be just for this year. Knowing that's going to be forever there, it's a present that I can't describe in words,' Nadal said at his press conference later. 'For me it was and it is and it's always going to be a huge honor and very, very emotional to have this spot on the most important court of my tennis career, without a doubt. 'It's difficult to describe the feeling, but it's something that really touched me.'


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Sinner vs Alcaraz: The rivalry pushing tennis beyond the ‘Big 3'
One of the great joys of the Big Three era was that following the sport had a very personal touch to it – you were either in Roger Federer's corner or shouting Vamos with Rafael Nadal or taking on the world as part of Novak Djokovic's #NoleFam. There was no fence-sitting allowed. You lived every point with them and that made their triumphs feel like your own. The Big Three's incredible 66-Grand Slam run is generally considered to have begun after Federer's 2003 Wimbledon win and gone on till Djokovic's shock US Open exit in 2024 – the two decades of domination meant the players and the fandom became part of the sport's fabric. As the era draws to a close (Djokovic is still around, but fast fading), the fans were overwhelmed by a sense of loss and also a fear... would they ever be able to enjoy tennis in quite the same way again? But after watching Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner go toe-to-toe in an epic five-hour 29-minute French Open final, many of those fears might have evaporated. Once again, you are being called upon to pick a side: are you ready to get on the emotional rollercoaster with Alcaraz or do you prefer the calm nonchalance of Sinner? 'I think every rivalry is different. Back in the days, they played a little bit different tennis. Now the ball is going fast. It's very physical. It's slightly different from my point of view, but you cannot compare. I was lucky enough to play against Novak, against Rafa. In Grand Slams, Roger, I never played, unfortunately. Beating these guys, it takes a lot,' Sinner said in the press conference after the final. A post shared by Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) He added: 'I have the same feeling with Carlos and some other players. It's good to see that we can produce also tennis like this, because I think it's good for the whole movement of tennis and the crowd. It was a good atmosphere today, and also to be part of it, it's very special. Of course, I'm happy to be part of this.' And what does 'this' mean? They are world No.1 (Sinner) and world No.2 (Alcaraz). They have won seven of the last eight Grand Slams. They are good across surfaces. They are young and getting better with every outing. And because of how they play, they are drawing new fans to the sport. The key, though, is the quality of their play. The consistency, the persistence, the shot quality – they are all world class. After watching the final on Sunday, American legend John McEnroe told TNT Sports, 'You took a look at them bringing their A-game right now – I'm saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Nadal on clay – you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favoured to beat Nadal, at his best. 'Do I think they're going to reach... 20, 24 titles, either one of them? No. Because I think that plateau is so hard it's almost impossible; there's more depth in the game, bigger hitters, and more things happen. 'But these two guys right now, it's like when you watch the NBA and you say nobody could be better than Michael Jordan. The tennis level right now is higher than I've ever seen.' Pushing that level up is the fighting spirit that Alcaraz and Sinner display. They aren't given to exaggeration as many might argue McEnroe is, but they are the real deal. 'When the situations are against you, you have to fight and keep fighting. It is a Grand Slam final. It's no time to be tired. It's no time to give up. It's time to keep fighting, trying to find your moment, your good place again, and just go for it,' said Alcaraz, who saved three championship points in the fourth set, with a chuckle in his post-match press conference. 'I think the real champions are made in situations when you deal with that pressure, with those situations, in the best way possible. That's what the real champions have done in their whole careers. I'm just trying to feel comfortable in situations with pressure and not be afraid of it.' A post shared by Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) Sinner has just about swept everyone else on the ATP circuit but he needs to find a way past the 22-year-old Spaniard, who, having won their last five matches, leads the head-to-head 8-4 now. If this is to truly become their era, the Italian will need to find a way to step up even more. This rivalry could either make him or break him. 'Every match that I'm playing against him is important, honestly,' said the Spaniard, when asked about his rivalry with Sinner. 'This is the first match in a Grand Slam final. Hopefully, not the last time. As I said many times, every time that we face each other, we raise our level to the top. 'I think for the people and for the fans are important as well, our matches. If you want to win Grand Slams, you have to beat the best tennis players in the world. It feels much better when you face them in the final.' For now, the battle lines are drawn and we wait to see what miracles the new era of Alcaraz and Sinner will throw up.


India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
All-time classics: Alcaraz vs Sinner and 5 other epic Grand Slam finals
The night Carlos Alcaraz collapsed onto the clay, exhausted and exultant, Roland Garros bore witness to a final that will be remembered forever. Across 5 hours and 29 minutes at the iconic Philippe Chatrier, the Spaniard and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner fought a gladiatorial duel that pushed the very boundaries of endurance and imagination. Sinner, serene and surgical early on, looked like a man born for red dirt royalty, breezing through the first two sets. But clay remembers. And Alcaraz, raised on its grit, rose with a breathless fifth set that ended in a Super tie-break, he raised his game to the stratosphere, proving he is the King of Clay of the post-Big Three era. The match didn't need controversy, medical breaks, or theatrics. It was, simply, tennis at its purest and most fans staggered from the high of that Parisian classic, one thing was clear: tennis could produce all-time classics even without its decorated artisans. This was a new era, stepping into greatness on its own roller-coaster final is our Extraordinary Moment by @HaierOfficial #RolandGarros Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025 The Alcaraz-Sinner epic now stands among a sacred pantheon of Grand Slam finals where titles were wrestled from the jaws of time and pain. Here are five other unforgettable Grand Slam finals of the 2008 - Rafael Nadal defeats Roger Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9– was billed as a battle for the ages, and it delivered on every front. On 6 July 2008, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer walked onto Centre Court not just as rivals, but as titans playing for legacy. Federer, five-time defending champion at Wimbledon, was the master of grass. Nadal, the relentless warrior from Mallorca, had just crushed the field at Roland Garros and was hungry to dethrone the king after two failed attempts in the past two followed over 4 hours and 48 minutes, stretched across rain delays and fading light, was a masterpiece of mental and physical endurance. Nadal struck first, taking a two-set lead with fearless returns and unrelenting defence. But Federer, never one to yield, clawed back with breathtaking tiebreak wins in the third and darkness crept over London, the fifth set became pure theatre. Nadal finally broke through at 8–7 and closed it on serve, collapsing to the grass as twilight blanketed Centre John McEnroe called it the greatest match ever played and few have argued since. Wimbledon 2008 was the night Nadal became legend on Federer's most sacred ground. Australian Open 2012 – Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5), 7–5At 1:37 AM in Melbourne, Novak Djokovic dropped to the court, victorious yet barely standing. After 5 hours and 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam final in history had its champion. Nadal came out swinging, taking the first set by chasing down every point like it was match point. Djokovic hit back with his impenetrable defence and intense ball-striking and won the next two sets, appearing to have broken Nadal's spirit. Yet Nadal, ever the defier, raised his game in the fourth and edged the tie-break 7–5. In the fifth, with bodies on the brink, Nadal broke to lead 4–2. But Djokovic summoned an impossible second wind, winning five of the next six games. The final shot—a Nadal error—barely drew a reaction. Both men looked like they'd survived something primal. Djokovic ripped his shirt. Nadal stood stunned. Chairs had to be brought out for the ceremony. 'We made history tonight,' Novak said. And they had. This match redefined limits. Every rally was a dagger, every set its own match. No tennis fan who witnessed this final would ever forget it. US Open 2012 – Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic 7–6(10), 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2Andy Murray had to win this one. For himself, for Britain, for redemption. Four previous Slam finals, all losses. But on September 10, 2012, in gusty New York conditions, he finally crossed the line. The first set itself was a monster—lasting 87 minutes, the longest opener in US Open final history at the time. Murray let a 4–0 lead slip before eventually taking the tie-break 12–10, after six set points. He clinched the second set 7–5, showing mental grit not always associated with him. But Djokovic came charging back, sprinting through the next two sets with trademark aggression, levelling at two sets apiece. Momentum was gone. The ghosts of 2011, 2010, 2008—all losing finals—hovered. But Murray flipped the switch. With relentless first-strike tennis and a roaring crowd behind him, he won the final set 6–2. His box exploded. Ivan Lendl smiled in a rare 76-year wait for a British men's Slam champion ended under the Arthur Ashe lights. 'Relief. Pure relief,' Murray later said. And in beating Djokovic at his physical and mental best, Murray proved he belonged among the game's immortals. Australian Open 2017 – Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal 6–4, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3This was never meant to happen. Roger Federer, aged 35, returning from a six-month injury layoff. Rafael Nadal, recovering from wrist issues. Neither had made a Grand Slam final in years. Yet somehow, they summoned one last masterpiece- their 35th meeting, and arguably their greatest. Roger struck early, taking the first with clean backhands and aggressive net play. Nadal, always the counter-puncher, responded by smothering Federer in the second. In the third, Federer lit up Rod Laver Arena, ripping 18 winners and losing just one game. But Nadal dragged him into a fifth with that trademark grit, breaking early and leading 3–1. Old scars resurfaced. Federer had never beaten Nadal in a Slam final outside Wimbledon. But he rewrote history that night. He won five straight games to seal the title, finishing with a daring backhand winner on championship point, a shot that had so often betrayed him against Nadal. He didn't challenge an earlier out call. He didn't stall. He the last point ended, Federer wept. Nadal applauded. It was an embrace of legacy, rivalry, and renewal. 'Tennis is a tough sport. There are no draws,' Federer said. 'But if there was, I would have been happy to share it with Rafa.' advertisementWimbledon 2019 – Novak Djokovic def. Roger Federer 7–6(5), 1–6, 7–6(4), 4–6, 13–12(3)It was an unforgettable day for fans of sport across the globe. The Wimbledon final clashed with the Cricket World Cup 2019 final. Both turned out to be all-time classics. Both were decided by the barest of battle at the All England Tennis Club felt mythic. Federer and Djokovic, duelling on the Centre Court lawn in a final that stretched 4 hours and 57 minutes, the longest in Wimbledon history. Federer hit 94 winners, won more total points, and had two championship points on his racquet at 8–7 in the fifth. But Djokovic? He had defiance and an unshakable nerve. The first set went Novak's way via tie-break, but Federer responded with a bagel-like 6–1 in the second. They kept trading blows: Novak edged the third in another breaker, Roger surged in the fourth. In the decider, no one blinked. The crowd gasped. Federer had those two golden chances, serving at 40–15. But Djokovic erased them with the poise of a surgeon. At 12–12, history beckoned: the first-ever final set tie-break at Wimbledon. Djokovic won it 7–3, completing an almost absurd was a symphony of contrasting styles, Roger's artistry vs Novak's steel, and it ended with disbelief. Federer stood hollowed, having outplayed his opponent but not beaten him. Djokovic kissed the grass. The crowd, torn, applauded Watch