Coco Gauff’s $2.9M French Open Glory Turns Sour After Stunning Financial Blow

Coco Gauff created history more than a week ago at the Roland Garros. Being just 21, she earned her second major title, besting World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka at Court Philippe-Chatrier in the summit clash of 2025 French Open. Emerging as the last woman standing on the podium, the American star received the coveted Suzanne Lenglen trophy. Not to mention the lucrative prize money amounting to close to $3 million. After pocketing $4.8 million from her WTA Finals triumph last November, it’s the highest figure Gauff has been awarded in an event lately. But guess what? There’s sad news for the World No.2 who’s about to lose a big chunk of the winning amount.

This season, French Open organizers raised the overall prize purse to $63.7 million for the players. Both men’s and women’s singles winners were to get around $2.9 million upon clinching the final. After Gauff beat Sabalenka with a score line of 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, she was awarded the said prize money. However, now her winning amount is subject to taxes in France. She will need to pay a hefty sum from the $2.9 million figure – about 45 percent, to be precise. The update was shared by Sean Packard, OFS Wealth’s tax director, as reported by Forbes on June 12.

Simply put, Gauff will have to pay $1.32 million in taxes to the French government. As a result, the Roland Garros champion will be left with just over $1.6 million of prize money. She’s also subject to tax in her home country, the United States. However, after receiving a tax credit in France, she may not have to pay taxes twice. So there’s a relief. But still, losing 45 percent of the overall figure may leave a bitter aftertaste in the mouth of the 2023 US Open winner.

But it’s no time to think about the French Open anymore. Why? After impressing on clay, Gauff’s next challenge on grass is waiting for her. In just few weeks, she will be seen competing at the All England Club. Unlike clay, she’s struggled there to make a lasting impact in recent years.

However, it appears the two-time slam queen has figured out a strategy to ace her game at the Wimbledon this time. So how’s she going to make it happen?

Coco Gauff reveals her game plan for grass challenge at the Wimbledon

In all her Wimbledon campaigns so far, since making a debut in 2019, Coco Gauff has failed to even reach the QF stage. Her best run in the grass tournament is reaching the fourth round. Last season, she was ousted by compatriot Emma Navarro. On previous two occasions (2023 and 2022), she was eliminated in the first round and third round respectively.

But it seems the French Open triumph has infused a lot of confidence in her this time. And she’s got a key strategy to unleash during the third major of 2025.

Talking to Vogue recently, Gauff revealed, “Grass has been trial and error for me. The biggest thing, I think, is just to be more aggressive.” She added, “On clay, you have a little more time; you can slide, you can use the height of the ball’s bounce a bit more. That’s less so on grass.”

This time, she’s looking to play “more aggressively… and I want to serve a lot bigger.” Meanwhile,  former WTA pro Chris Evert has recently made a bold prediction for Gauff. After witnessing her prowess on the Parisian clay, she thinks the 21-year-old can also grab the Wimbledon trophy. Per her, the World No.2 is “going to win all of them (majors), yeah; for sure, she can win on every surface. She has won on clay and on hard. I can definitely see that she can win Wimbledon.”

What are your thoughts on Gauff’s prospects at the All England Club? Let us know in the comments below.

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