Kuerten clinches third French crown

Gustavo Kuerten stormed to a third French Open crown on Sunday, beating Spain's Alex Corretja 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-0.

The Brazilian top seed, champion here in 1997 and 2000, becomes only the sixth player to complete a hat-trick of Roland Garros singles titles.

He wasted three match points as Corretja pulled off a string of magnificent returns at 5-0 40-0 down but finally won on his fourth when Corretja hit a return from the baseline wide.

Kuerten is the first champion to defend his title since Sergi Bruguera in 1994. Corretja also lost the 1998 final to compatriot Carlos Moya.

The Spaniard started the brighter on a grey, blustery day in the French capital.

He edged the opening set 7-6 - the first he had taken from Kuerten in their last four matches - by winning the tie-break 7-3 and then broke immediately as the Brazilian struggled to time the ball in the blustery wind.

But Kuerten broke back three games later and again in the 12th game of the set to square the match. The wind subsided, the sun came out and with it Kuerten's timing.

He wrapped up the third set 6-2 in just 36 minutes before romping through the fourth for the title.

Along with Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl and Rene Lacoste, Kuerten trails Henri Cochet by one title and Bjorn Borg by three at Roland Garros.