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French Open 2017 Results: Women's Final Score and Men's Final Predictions

Steve Silverman@@profootballboyX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 10, 2017

Jelena Ostapenko celebrates her French Open championship.
Jelena Ostapenko celebrates her French Open championship.Petr David Josek/Associated Press

A new star is born at the French Open.

Jelena Ostapenko came to Roland Garros as an unseeded player who had never won a professional title of any kind. She will almost certainly be a seeded player from this point forward, and she also no longer has a zero in the championship category.

Ostapenko defeated third-seeded Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the French Open title by displaying consistent power and limiting her mistakes as the match progressed.

The 20-year-old was aggressive from the start, but unforced errors and Halep's knowhow cost her the first set. 

After losing the opener, Ostapenko fell behind 3-0 in the second set, and it appeared that Halep was on track to win her first Grand Slam championship. However, Ostapenko rallied and started to reel in her Romanian opponent. She won the second set going away.

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Jelena Ostapenko & Martina Navratilova (1978 Wimbledon) are the only women in Open Era to win 1st Grand Slam from down a set in the Final. https://t.co/5T1DvUxvZk

Ostapenko had the advantage going into the third, but Halep showed her resiliency by jumping out to a 3-1 lead. That's when Ostapenko played her best tennis of the match and the tournament, winning the last five games to secure the title.

She powered her way to 54 winners compared to eight for Halep, and that was the primary reason she won the match. Ostapenko also made 54 unforced errors as her opponent made just 10.

However, the Latvian made more of those errors in the first two sets than she did in the third. She never hesitated when it came to hitting out, and that enabled her to earn the surprising victory.

"I felt that if I was aggressive I would find my game," Ostapenko said to NBC reporter Mary Carillo on the broadcast after the match. "I was just trying to fight for every point in the match, and that really helped me."

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The King of Clay 🙌 Rafael Nadal beats Dominic Thiem 6-3 6-4 6-0 to reach another French Open final https://t.co/EfPeXPP0US #RG17 https://t.co/vG3XZtxlDC

On the men's side, Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka have a chance to put on a memorable show in the championship match at the French Open Sunday.

Wawrinka earned his spot in the title round with an epic five-set victory over top-seeded Andy Murray, and that match may have drained the Swiss player somewhat. On the other hand, Nadal had a straight-set victory over hard-serving Dominic Thiem in his semifinal match.

The difference in those two matches could be decisive in Nadal's favor. Not only is he playing on his favored red clay of Roland Garros, he is going for his 10th French Open singles championship as the fresher player.

Wawrinka had impressive straight-set victories over Gael Monfils and Marin Cilic in the fourth round and quarterfinals, respectively, before he outlasted Murray by a 6-7, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 score.

He said that Murray did not play as well this year as he did a year ago, and that played a key role in the outcome. 

Stan Wawrinka
Stan WawrinkaJean Catuffe/Getty Images

"Last year he was stronger," Wawrinka said Friday, per The Telegraph. "He was very aggressive, and he never really let me install my game. And that is really what I struggled with and what I found so frustrating. Today I think he's less confident. He played a bit less fast. He was a little more hesitant, and that gave me a bit more time."

Nadal has not lost a set during his march to the final, and his confidence on the surface is a major factor. The oddsmakers have taken notice of his success throughout his career at the French Open and how well he has played during the current tournament.

The Spaniard is a minus-530 favorite, according to OddsShark. A Nadal backer must risk $530 to win $100, while Wawrinka is a plus-430 underdog.

While Wawrinka has a huge assignment in trying to get past his opponent, he won the 2015 French Open title, so he knows what it takes to win in Paris.

       

Prediction

Wawrinka is very much a live underdog, and his victory over Murray should give him the confidence he can extend Nadal.

However, winning a set or even two is not the same as beating the Spanish maestro. Nadal seems to paint his victories in Paris the same way an artist puts together a masterpiece. 

We expect the same thing to continue here, as Nadal's shot-making ability is the most notable characteristic. However, Wawrinka will force Nadal to fight for some points and throw a few haymakers as well.

Nadal will combine his artistry and fighting ability to come through with a four-set victory and the French Open title.