Gauff earns first French Open title

Sabalenka praised Gauff for being a "fighter" and said she deserved the win, but added that the windy conditions made for an error-strewn contest.

"This will hurt so much," Sabalenka said. "Coco, congrats, in the tough conditions you were a better player than me."

Both players were sloppy in the first set, conceding 21 break-point chances and making 48 unforced errors between them, with Sabalenka making 32 yet still winning the set. She made 70 altogether in the match, compared to 30 overall for Gauff.

Sabalenka was often frustrated, remonstrating and shouting at herself and frequently turning around to look at her team with an exasperated look on her face. She put her head on her hands a couple of times, and at one point raised her shoulders as if to say "What's going on?"

Gauff said she paid no attention, knowing full well that Sabalenka could find her best game at any moment.

The first set looked to be heading Gauff's way when she led 3-0 in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka steadied herself and clinched it with a forehand volley at the net.

Gauff leveled the match with a smash at the net. But Sabalenka stuck to her high-risk approach in the deciding set.

One superb rally in the third game drew loud cheers.

After an intense exchange of drop shots, Gauff hit a lob that Sabalenka chased down before attempting a shot between her legs — only for Gauff to intercept it at the net.

It was a rare highlight on a day when swirling wind troubled both players with the roof open.

"It was tough to plant your feet, the ball was moving so much," Gauff said. "It was not a day for great tennis, honestly."

Agencies Via Xinhua