The top-ranked tennis star, 27, faced an online backlash after she initially appeared to downplay the second-ranked Gauff’s 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 victory, which marked the first time an American has won a singles title at the French Open since Serena Williams did so in 2015.

Drawing on the painful memory of her defeat three years ago in the French Open final gave Coco Gauff just the motivation she needed to win the clay-court tournament for the first time.

It was the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 final in Paris since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and just the second in the last 30 years.