Coco Gauff claims first French Open title after fightback floors Aryna Sabalenka

American wins epic final battle 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4

CHAMPION:Coco Gauff kisses the trophy after winning her women's singles final match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka. Pic:  ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

In her half-decade competing at the highest level of her sport, Coco Gauff has built an impermeable reputation for her toughness. No matter the significance of the occasion or the state of her strokes, she will fight with everything at her disposal until the very last point. More often than not, she will find a way through.

Across the net from the best player in the world in one of the most important moments of her career, Gauff showed the full breadth of her grit and durability as she somehow plotted a path to victory, holding her own in a gripping match between the two best players in the world to topple Aryna Sabalenka, the world No 1, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 and win her first French Open title.