Monica Puig has defeated Angelique Kerber in the final of the women's singles tournament to become Puerto Rico's first ever Olympic gold medallist.

Entering the contest, the 22-year-old had already cemented her place in the history books as the country's first ever female medallist and only the ninth Puerto Rican athlete to ascend an Olympic podium.

The world number 34 took her German opponent the distance in a slog of a contest on centre court at the Olympic Tennis Centre, eventually wrapping up a 6-4 4-6 6-1 victory in two hours and nine minutes.

Kerber had to go off court for treatment to her lower back after losing the first set but came back stronger to level the contest. The deciding set was a one-way affair, however, as Puig made the most of a fourth match point to seal the historic win.

The bronze medal had earlier gone the way of the Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova, who edged out Team USA's Madison Keys 7-5 2-6 6-2.