Daily Times

PARIS: France’s Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic overcome their Russian opponents 6-3 2-6 6-4 on Sunday to take the French Open women’s doubles title, giving the home fans reason to cheer on the final day of a cold, damp tournament. In a see-saw first set the French fifth seeds led 5-0 before seventh-seeded Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina clawed their way back to 5-3, Garcia then holding serve to take the decisive ninth game. With the main Philippe Chatrier showcourt less than a quarter full but a raucous crowd generating a lively atmosphere, the Russians fought back to take the second set. But the French pair made the telling break in the third set, taking Vesnina’s serve in the ninth game with Garcia again serving out to win the match. On a good day for France, Geoffrey Blancaneaux won the junior singles, beating 15-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 1-6 6-3 8-6 after saving three match points.