Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko stunned third seed Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday to win her maiden Grand Slam title and become the lowest-ranked champion in French Open history
Jelena Ostapenko with the French Open Trophy in Paris on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images, AFP
Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko stunned third seed Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday to win her maiden Grand Slam title and become the lowest-ranked champion in French Open history.
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World No. 47 Ostapenko is the first unseeded player to lift the Roland Garros title in the Open era and the first Latvian major champion in history. The 20-year-old is the youngest French Open winner since Iva Majoli in 1997 and the first player to win a debut tour-level title at a Slam since Gustavo Kuerten in Paris that same year.
"I can't believe I am the French Open champion at just 20. It's amazing," said Ostapenko.
Romania's Simona Halep during the French Open final against Jelena Ostapenko on Saturday
It was also her first career title in just her eighth Slam appearance and will see her world ranking rocket to 12 from 47.
Ostapenko fired 54 winners and 54 unforced errors compared to Halep's eight and 10 respectively. "I knew about the history," said Ostapenko.
"I knew that Kuerten also won his first title here also in 1997 (the year she was born). "There are no words. It's just amazing. It was my dream as a child to win Roland Garros."
Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko kisses the trophy after winning the women's final match of the French Open tennis tournament against Romania's Simona Halep. Pic/AP,PTI
She was 3-1 down in the second and third sets but kept coming back with her no-fear hitting. "I knew Simona was a great player. But I tried to play aggressive and everything turned my way. I fought for every point. I'm glad it finished my way," added the Latvian who finished the tournament with 299 winners, more than any other woman or man.
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