PARIS, France (AFP) — Coco Gauff battled back from a set down to beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a Grand Slam final for the second time with a dramatic victory in the French Open showpiece on Saturday.

The second-ranked American dug deep to claim a 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4 victory and her second major title after also defeating Sabalenka at the 2023 US Open.

The 21-year-old more than made amends for her emotional 2022 final loss to Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros, outlasting Sabalenka over two hours and 38 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"I was going through a lot of things when I lost in this final three years ago. A lot of dark thoughts, so it just means a lot to be here," Gauff said.

"I honestly didn't think that I could do it."

"I also felt like this is one I really wanted, because I do think this was one of the tournaments that, when I was younger, that I felt I had the best shot of winning," Gauff added.

"I just felt like if I went through my career and didn't get at least one of these, I would feel regrets and stuff."

It was a second straight Grand Slam final loss for Sabalenka after her defeat by Madison Keys at the Australian Open in January.

Gauff was rock solid after falling a set down, while Sabalenka made 70 unforced errors in windy conditions in a match which followed a very similar pattern to Gauff's victory at Flushing Meadows two years ago.

"Honestly guys, it hurts so much, especially after such a tough two weeks when I played such great tennis in these terrible conditions," said Sabalenka, whose unforced error tally in the final was the highest by any player in a women's match this tournament.

"To show such terrible tennis in the final, it does really hurt."

Belarusian Sabalenka was aiming to become the only current women's player to win three of the four Grand Slam events after her US Open triumph last year and back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024.

But Gauff instead moved 6-5 ahead in their head-to-head record, proving the more consistent player in the first women's Slam final between the world's top two since Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep in Melbourne in 2018.

Only Gauff, Swiatek, Naomi Osaka and Maria Sharapova have won multiple Slam titles before turning 22 in the last 20 years.

The 27-year-old Sabalenka quickly asserted herself, racing ahead by taking four of the first five games.

The top seed led 4-1 with a double-break in her semi-final win over Swiatek before being forced into a tie-break.