MELBOURNE, Australia — Sofia Kenin became the youngest Australian Open champion in 12 years on Saturday night, beating Garbiñe Muguruza 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to claim her first Grand Slam title.

All it took was pivotal sequence midway through the final set, five points that included what Kenin called the “five best shots of my life.”

Serving at 2-2, Kenin fell behind 0-40, one point away from dropping the game and giving Muguruza a significant edge in the match. Instead, Kenin played bold yet controlled, hitting five consecutive winners to turn things around.

She won her first point in the game with an inside-out backhand. The next, with a backhand down the line. She got back to deuce with a forehand down the line. She then took an advantage with a wide ace past Muguruza’s forehand, and closed out the game with a passing cross-court forehand. She punctuated her escape by throwing the ball she had been storing in her pocket high in the air.