Jelena Ostapenko beats Simona Halep to win 2017 French Open title

Jelena Ostapenko defeated Simona Halep in three sets to win the 2017 French Open.
Jelena Ostapenko beats Simona Halep to win 2017 French Open title
Jelena Ostapenko beats Simona Halep to win 2017 French Open title /

Jelena Ostapenko's first professional tennis title is a Grand Slam title. The 20-year-old had made only one WTA final coming into the French Open, but she played an incredible match to beat No. 3-seeded Simoan Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday to win the 2017 French Open title. 

After trailing by a set a 3-0, Ostapenko stormed back and with a forehand winner, sent the women's final to a deciding set on Philippe Chatrier. In the final set, Ostapenko continued her powerful hitting and aggressive game to take down Halep. 

With the win, Ostapenko becomes the Latvia's first Grand Slam champion and the first unseeded woman to win the French Open in the Open Era (since 1968). 

The last person to win their first professional tennis title at a Grand Slam was Gustavo Kuerten on June 8, 1997—unbelievably, the same day Ostapenko was born.


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Jamie Lisanti
JAMIE LISANTI

Jamie Lisanti is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated. A former college soccer player, she covers a variety of topics, including tennis, Olympics, fitness and nutrition, and more.