PARIS — Drawing on the painful memory of her defeat three years ago in the French Open final gave Coco Gauff just the motivation she needed to win the clay-court major for the first time. The 21-year-old American defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title, two years after winning the U.S. Open.

Aryna Sabalenka Facing Backlash for Coco Gauff Message After French Open Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Women's tennis World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka caught the ire of several fans after sharing her take on her loss to Coco Gauff at the French Open final.

A little bit of self-persuasion went a very long way for Coco Gauff, whose victory at the French Open gave the 21-year-old American a trophy she has long coveted, and a second major title.