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The Latest: Djokovic gives racket to supportive young fan

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Serbia's Novak Djokovic kisses the cup after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Sunday, June 13, 2021 in Paris. Djokovic won 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PARIS – The Latest on the French Open (all times local):

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9:40 p.m.

Novak Djokovic says he’s grateful to a young boy who offered vocal support and advice throughout the French Open final.

Moments after Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets, he gave his racket to the youngster in the stands, who jumped up and down in excitement at the gesture.

Djokovic says the boy shouted encouragement even when he faced a two-set deficit, and even had coaching tips.

“I found that very cute and very nice,” Djokovic said. “To give the racket to the best person was him. That was my gratitude for him sticking with me."

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7:25 p.m.

Novak Djokovic has won his second French Open championship and his 19th Grand Slam title by rallying past Stefanos Tsitsipas in a seesaw final at Roland Garros.

The score was 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Djokovic also erased a two-set deficit to win in the fourth round, and has done it six times in his career.

The 22-year-old Tsitsipas looked like the fresher player early on, and Djokovic was coming off an epic semifinal victory over Rafael Nadal. But the 34-year-old Serb found his form and held every service game in the final three sets.

Djokovic improved to 35-10 in five-set matches. He has won the first two majors of the year, and at Wimbledon he'll have a chance to match the men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles shared by Nadal and Roger Federer.

Djokovic joined Rod Laver and Roy Emerson as the only men to win each of the four major tournaments at least twice.

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6:25 p.m.

Novak Djokovic has staged an improbable comeback to force a fifth set in his French Open final against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas won the first two sets, 7-6, 6-2. Djokovic won the next two, 6-3, 6-2.

In the early going, the 22-year-old Tsitsipas looked fresher than the 34-year-old Djokovic, who is coming off an epic semifinal against Rafael Nadal.

But Djokovic steadied his game in the third set. His comeback began in the fourth game, when he had five break-point chances and finally converted.

Tsitsipas received treatment from a trainer after the third set.

Djokovic has overcome a two-set deficit to win five times in his career, and he is 34-10 in five-setters.

He seeks a second French Open championship and a 19th major title.

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5:50 p.m.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has received treatment from a trainer after the third set of the French Open final.

Tsitsipas leads Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-2, 3-6.

During the changeover before the fourth set, Tsitsipas laid on his back and was stretched out by the trainer. The Greek has had back trouble in the past.

Djokovic has overcome a two-set deficit to win five times in his career. He is playing in his 29th Grand Slam final, and Tsitsipas is playing in his first.

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5:45 p.m.

Novak Djokovic is trying to rally in the French Open final but trails Stefanos Tsitsipas two sets to one.

Tsitsipas leads 7-6, 6-2, 3-6.

Tsitsipas won the first set after erasing a set point in the tiebreaker with a difficult forehand winner. In the second set he looked fresher than the 34-year-old Djokovic, who is coming off an epic semifinal against Rafael Nadal.

But Djokovic steadied his game in the third set, which turned in the fourth game, when he converted his fifth break-point chance of the game.

Djokovic has overcome a two-set deficit to win five times in his career. He is playing in his 29th Grand Slam final, and Tsitsipas is playing in his first.

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5 p.m.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has taken a two-set lead in the French Open final against Novak Djokovic.

The score is 7-6 (6), 6-2.

The 22-year-old Tsitsipas has looked poised playing in his first Grand Slam final, and fresher than Djokovic, who is coming off an epic semifinal against Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic had a chance to serve out the first set. But he lost eight of the next nine points with an uncharacteristic stretch of poor play, and fell behind 4-0 in the tiebreaker.

Tsitsipas then erased a set point in the tiebreaker with a difficult forehand winner. The shot was so impressive it drew applause even from Djokovic.

Tsitsipas broke twice in the second set to take his commanding lead. He’s trying to become the first Greek to win a Grand Slam.

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4:25 p.m.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has won a seesaw first set in the French Open final against Novak Djokovic, 7-6, after erasing a set point in the tiebreaker with a difficult forehand winner. The shot was so impressive it drew applause even from Djokovic.

Djokovic faced a set point in the 10th game, but won a 26-shot rally when Tsitsipas hit backhand long.

Djokovic earned the first break of the match in the next game and had a chance to serve out the set. But he lost eight of the next nine points with an uncharacteristic stretch of poor play, and fell behind 4-0 in the tiebreaker.

After Djokovic rallied, Tsitsipas faced a set point at 5-6 but won the next three points.

Each player took a spill on the clay in the first set but was unhurt.

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3:45 p.m.

Novak Djokovic has taken a spill in the seventh game of the French Open final but was unhurt.

Djokovic went sprawling headfirst near the net post when he stumbled while in futile pursuit of a short cross-court shot by Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Djokovic rolled onto his back and quickly rose to loud applause as Tsitsipas checked on him, and on the next changeover he switched to a clean shirt.

The players were on serve with Tsitsipas leading 4-3.

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3:10 p.m.

The men’s final is underway at the French Open, with Novak Djokovic playing in his 29th Grand Slam final, and Stefanos Tsitsipas playing in his first.

They took the court under blue skies in Paris with a temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius). As Tsitsipas wamed up at the net, spectators started chanting his name. Djokovic fans respond right away with louder shouts of “Novak!”

Djokovic seeks a second French Open championship and a 19th major title, which would leave him one behind the men’s record total of 20 held by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Tsitsipas is bidding to become first Greek to win a Grand Slam title.

In the semifinals, Djokovic outlasted Nadal in an epic match, while Tsitsipas needed five sets to beat Alexander Zverev.

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2:55 p.m.

Former Roland Garros champions Bjorn Borg and Jim Courier will present the French Open trophies after Sunday's men's final.

Borg won the tournament six times from 1974-81 while Courier won it twice, in 1991 and '92.

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2:30 p.m.

After taking out 13-time champion Rafael Nadal in the previous round, Novak Djokovic is bidding for a 19th major title in the French Open final.

The top-ranked Serb takes on fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, a 22-year-old from Greece appearing in his first Grand Slam final.

Djokovic is trying to collect his seventh trophy in the past 11 major tournaments. He also can become only the third man in tennis history with at least two titles from each of the four Grand Slam events.

Weather conditions in Paris are ideal for the final match of this year's tournament, with blue skies and afternoon temperatures of 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius).

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1 p.m.

Barbora Krejcikova has completed a titles sweep at Roland Garros.

Playing with fellow Cezch player Katerina Siniakova, they won the doubles final 6-4, 6-2 Sunday against Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Iga Swiatek of Poland.

Krejcikova also won the singles title in Paris. She is the first woman since Mary Pierce in 2000 to complete the singles-doubles titles sweep at Roland Garros.

Krejcikova and Siniakova won their second title together at the clay-court Grand Slam after lifting the trophy in 2018. They also won the Wimbledon title that year.

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11:55 a.m.

A day after claiming her first singles Grand Slam crown, Barbora Krejcikova is back on court at Roland Garros aiming for a sweep of titles.

She is teaming up with fellow Czech Katerina Siniakova against Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Iga Swiatek of Poland in the doubles final.

Krejcikova and Siniakova won the trophy together at Roland Garros in 2018. Mattek-Sands and Swiatek are playing just their third tournament together and knocked out the top-seeded pair in the third round.

If Krejcikova wins, she will become the first woman since Mary Pierce in 2000 to complete the singles-doubles titles sweep in Paris.

Swiatek was the defending singles champion in Paris but bowed out in the quarterfinals this year.

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More AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


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