Halep's route to the title

F: Simona Halep d. Sloane Stephens 3-6 6-4 6-1

A Grand Slam champion at last - and what a way for Simona Halep to prove herself. Rewards come to those who persist. The Romanian, banishing the ghosts of last year’s defeat, said: “In the last game I felt that I could not breathe any more, so I just tried not to repeat last year. When I was down a break in the second set I said, 'OK, everything is gone. I just have to start to relax and enjoy the match'. I did everything I could. I have been dreaming of this moment since I started to play tennis. I'm really happy that it's happened in Roland-Garros in Paris, my special city.”

Stephens was gracious in defeat. “Simona, congratulations on your first Slam, it looks great on you. There’s no-one else I’d rather lose to than the No.1 in the world.”