Paris, June 9: Top-ranked Romanian Simona Halep beat Sloane Stephens in full sets to claim her first Grand Slam title at the French Open here on Saturday.
Halep extended her winning streak over her American opponent to five matches after triumphing at 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Halep recorded 0-3 in her previous Grand Slam final appearances, including twice at Roland Garros, losing to Maria Sharapova in 2014 and Jelena Ostapenko in 2017.
Already the 2008 Roland Garros girls' singles champion, Halep became the sixth player to have won the women's singles title in Paris after winning the girls' singles title. She has retained her world No. 1 ranking by reaching the final.
Halep also became the second Romanian woman to win a Grand Slam title following Virginia Ruzici's triumph at Roland Garros in 1978. Stephens, the reigning U.S. Open champion, was set to move up to fourth at latest WTA rankings after reaching the final, the first time for her to break into Top 5. IANS