PARIS — American Kaylan Bigun and Czech Tereza Valentova won the French Open junior boys’ and girls’ titles Saturday.
Fifth-seeded Bigun, who is 18 and was born in Los Angeles, rallied to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final against unseeded 17-year-old Tomasz Berkieta of Poland for his first Grand Slam title in juniors.
Twelfth-seeded Valentova beat No. 3-seeded Laura Samson 6-3, 7-6 (0) in the first all-Czech junior singles Grand Slam final. It was her first major title in juniors, having lost in the US Open final last year.
Valentova, 17, is one year older than Samson.
Bigun hopes to carry on his good form on clay when he eventually plays on the ATP men’s tour.
“I don’t think Americans have been known to specialize in the red clay,” he said. “Obviously I want to win at the highest level on clay, and until I do that I’ll say I’m a junior clay court specialist, for sure.”
