Sloane Stephens was graceful in defeat after missing out on the French Open title.
The Latest on the French Open (all times local):
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5:45 p.m.
Sloane Stephens was graceful in defeat after missing out on the French Open title.
The reigning U. S. Open champion led by a set and break before Simona Halep managed to turn Saturday’s final around with her relentless energy to win 3-6,6-4,6-1.
« This is not the trophy I wanted but it’s still beautiful, so thank you guys, » Stephens said as she addressed spectators on Court Philippe Chatrier. « To Simona, congratulations on your first Slam. It looks great on you. There’s no one I’d rather lose to than the No.1 in the world, so congratulations to you and your team. »
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5:30 p.m.
Simona Halep has lifted the French Open trophy and says she « just tried not to repeat the same as last year. »
The strategy worked.
In last year’s final, the top-ranked Romanian led Jelena Ostapenko by a set and 3-0. She looked to be on the verge of claiming her first Grand Slam title on the Parisian clay, but fell apart and eventually lost to the unseeded Latvian in her second French Open final.
The script was different on Saturday at Roland Garros as Halep rallied past Sloane Stephens and did not crumble in the end.
« I was dreaming for this moment since I’ve started to play tennis, » Halep said. « When I was down a break in the second set I thought ‘Everything is gone, I’m gonna start to relax and enjoy the match,’ and I came back. »
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5:17 p.m.
Top-ranked Simona Halep has won the French Open by defeating Sloane Stephens 3-6,6-4,6-1.
It is Halep’s first Grand Slam title after she lost twice in the French Open final and was runner-up at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Halep is the second Romanian woman to win a Grand Slam singles trophy. Her manager, Virginia Ruzici, won the French Open 40 years ago.
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4:36 p.m.
Simona Halep has leveled at one-set all in the French Open final against Sloane Stephens, winning the second set 6-4.
After losing the opening set 6-3, Halep found herself in trouble immediately at the start of the second as Stephens put her under pressure with excellent returns.
Halep managed to save three break points, including one with a powerful forehand winner down the line, but the Romanian dropped her serve on Stephens’ next chance when she could not properly return a clever lob from her American rival.
But Stephens suddenly lost her focus to allow Halep back in the match. At 2-1 down, Halep broke Stephens at love, and then held at love to move 3-2 up.
Stephens dropped her serve again in the next game after two consecutive mistakes, but Halep could not take advantage of the situation. Stephens earned three break points with a stunning forehand attack down the line and converted her first chance.
Halep quickly regrouped, though, and held for a 5-4 lead after coming out on top of two straight well-constructed baseline rallies. A forehand attack gave Halep a set point in the next game and Stephens fired a backhand wide.
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3:52 p.m.
Sloane Stephens has won the first set 6-3 in the French Open final against top-ranked Simona Halep.
Stephens, who has been serving well throughout the tournament, took the first game with a backhand winner.
Halep leveled at 1-1 after coming out on top of a 25-shot rally but struggled to dictate from the baseline against her American rival, who moved confidently across the court and was excellent on the counterattack.
Stephens had a break point at 30-40 in the fourth game and converted it as Halep sent a forehand into the net.
Stephens then saved the only break point she faced when serving for the set at 5-3,30-40, and held.
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3:11 p.m.
Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens have started their French Open final on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The top-ranked Halep, playing in her third singles final at Roland Garros, won the toss and decided to receive. She is chasing her first Grand Slam title.
Stephens, the reigning U. S. Open champion, has lost her past four matches with Halep.
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3 p.m.
French Open organizers have paid tribute to Maria Bueno, who has died at age 78 after battling mouth cancer, with a minute’s applause ahead of the women’s singles final.
The Brazilian was South America’s most successful female tennis player, having won 19 major titles, including three Wimbledon singles titles and four US championships.
Bueno was a dominant player during the late 1950s and 1960s.
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2:45 p.m.
Chun Hsin Tseng of Taiwan has won the boys’ title at the French Open by defeating top-seeded Sebastian Baez of Brazil 7-6 (5), 6-2.
The 16-year-old Tseng, who beat Australian Open champion Sebastian Korda of the United States in the semifinals, came back from a break down in the first set to claim his first Grand Slam title.
« Today I was playing really well on the baseline and solid, » the fourth-seeded Tseng said. « I think the first set I was a little bit tight in the beginning, and after I just enjoyed and relaxed. »
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2:30 p.m.
Simona Halep will try to add a first Grand Slam title to her No. 1 ranking when she plays No. 10 Sloane Stephens in the French Open final.
The match Saturday is the 26-year-old Halep’s fourth major final. She has lost all three in the past, including two at Roland Garros in 2014 and last year. Halep also was the runner-up at the Australian Open this January.
She is trying to become the second Romanian woman to win a Grand Slam singles trophy. Her manager, Virginia Ruzici, won the French Open 40 years ago.
Stephens, a 25-year-old from Florida, has never lost a tournament final, going 6-0.
She won the U. S. Open last September for her first major title.
Halep beat Stephens the last four times they played each other.
