India, June 7 -- Aryna Sabalenka could barely speak, her face buried in her palms as she held the mic. And as she uttered her first words, tears rolled down her cheeks. It was a tough moment for the world No. 1, who had held the edge after winning the opening set of the French Open final. But her power game was eventually neutralised by Coco Gauff, who turned the tide to clinch her maiden Roland Garros crown.

Sabalenka showed her mental steel in a pulsating 78-minute opening set, roaring to a 4-1 lead with a double break. Even as Gauff clawed her way back to force a tie-break, the Belarusian held her nerve to edge ahead in the shootout and take a one-set lead in the final.

However, a staggering 70 unforced errors eventually cost her the...