PARIS — Coco Gauff won the French Open final on Saturday over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.
After a topsy-turvy opening set that Sabalenka edged 7-6 (5), the No. 2 seed responded with an immediate break and won the second set 6-2.
Gauff, a former Atlanta resident, raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set, her dominance highlighted by a superb backhand return that secured a double break.
She then closed out the victory by winning the third set 6-4.
The match was full of tension and momentum swings, amplified by the windy conditions.
Sabalenka came out strong on Court Philippe-Chatrier, finding her stride early and pushing Gauff onto the back foot with deep groundstrokes and assertive net play.
Sabalenka quickly built a 4-1 lead but a string of errors and double-faults allowed Gauff to ge