As Roland-Garros officials prepared the court for the trophy ceremony, Aryna Sabalenka sat with her gaze lost in the distance before she took a towel and covered her face. And when it finally came time to speak, Sabalenka was silent for a long moment, as if on the verge of tears.

The win pushes Gauff to the French Open quarterfinals for the fifth time in her career. Of the four Grand Slams, Gauff has been most consistent at the French Open. She finished as a quarterfinalist in both 2021 and 2023, made the semifinals in 2024 and finished as a finalist in 2022. Despite that success, Gauff has never won the event.

Gauff's superpower is her fitness. Keys' superpower is her calm. Both back their lungs to take them into the Roland Garros semifinals.