10SBALLS SUMS UP THE FRENCH OPEN TENNIS 2016: DJOKOVIC, MUGURUZA, TEAM LOPEZ HIGHLIGHT FIRST-TIME CHAMPIONS IN PARIS

Written by: Staff on 5th June 2016

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

10SBALLS SUMS UP THE FRENCH OPEN TENNIS 2016: DJOKOVIC, MUGURUZA, TEAM LOPEZ HIGHLIGHT FIRST-TIME CHAMPIONS IN PARIS

epa05347436 Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts as he plays against Andy Murray of Britain during their men's single final match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 05 June 2016. ? EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT |

By Ricky Dimon

The women’s and men’s singles tournaments crowned new French Open champions on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Garbine Muguruza upset Serena Williams 7-5, 6-4 before Novak Djokovic completed the career Grand Slam with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Andy Murray.

Muguruza hit fewer winners than Williams and committed more unforced errors, but she won the big points–at least most of them. Williams saved four championship points while serving at 3-5 in the second, but Muguruza bounced back from that disappointment in fine fashion. The Spaniard closed out the world No. 1 with a love hold for her first-ever major title.

Playing in his fourth Roland Garros final and third in succession, Djokovic finally got over the hump. The top-ranked Serb, who was stunned by Stan Wawrinka last year, got off to a slow start but positively dominated Murray in the last three sets. Djokovic now boasts 10 major titles: six at the Australian Open, three at Wimbledon, two at the U.S. Open, and now this one at Roland Garros.

In the men’s doubles final, the trend of first-time slam winners continued. The Spanish duo of Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez (no relation) got the best of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (relation) 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3 on Saturday. The last six men’s doubles majors have been won by first-time champions. The Bryan brothers, on other hand, were aiming for their 17th Grand Slam triumph.

Feliciano Lopez (R) and Marc Lopez of Spain celebrate with the trophy after winning against Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan of the USA during their Men’s Doubles final match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 04 June 2016. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

Much to the delight of the French crowd, the women’s doubles event also crowned new Grand Slam champions on Sunday. Frenchwomen Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia lifted the trophy after beating Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Mladenovic already owns two slam titles in mixed doubles, but Sunday marked the first triumph in this discipline for both Mladenovic and Garcia. They are the first all-French duo to capture the women’s title at Roland Garros since 1971.

Local fans also had plenty to cheer about in a dramatic boys singles final on Sunday. Unseeded Frenchman Geoffrey Blancaneaux toppled highly-touted Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime 1-6, 6-3, 8-6 after fighting off three championship points.

Despite being only 15 years old, Auger Aliassime would have ascended to No. 1 in the junior world rankings with a victory on Sunday. He came within one point of that accomplishment on three different occasions when his opponent served at 5-6 in the third. But Blancaneaux saved all three of those points and never let go of control the rest of the way.

On the girls side, Russia’s Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland won her first major by defeating Amanda Anisimova of the United States 7-5, 7-5.