Boys title for Bjorn Fratangelo

Bjorn Fratangelo became the first American boy since John McEnroe in 1977 to win the junior title at the French Open by defeating Dominic Thiem, of Austria, 3-6, 6-3, 8-6 yesterday.

The unseeded Fratangelo broke serve at six-all in the final set when Thiem's backhand sailed wide. He clinched victory and fell flat on the red dirt when the 14th-seeded Thiem hit a backhand return long on match point.

"I did well to hold my nerve at the end to close it out," the 17-year-old Fratangelo said.

Fratangelo, of Pittsbugh, Pennsylvania, began playing tennis at the age of four and hopes to capture major titles like McEnroe, who went on to win Wimbledon three times and the US Open four times.

Fratangelo was named after Bjorn Borg because his father idolised the Swede, a main rival of McEnroe.

Americans don't have a strong reputation for playing well on the red dirt but Fratangelo honed his skills on clay because there are very few good hard courts where he lives.

"I learned really how to slide, how to move well on the surface," Fratangelo said. "It taught me to construct points."

In the girls final, the ninth-seeded Ons Jabeur, of Tunisia, beat No 5 Monica Puig, of Puerto Rico, 7-6 (8), 6-1.