Defeats favourite Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6, (7-2) to become the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam title
Defeats favourite Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6, (7-2) to become the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam titleFrancesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title on Saturday after defeating Australian favourite Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in the French Open final.
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| Italy's Francesca Schiavone thanks the heavens after defeating Samantha Stosur in the final of the French Open at the Rolland Garros on Saturday. Schiavoneu00a0 won 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). Pics/AFP |
Victory made the 29-year-old the second oldest first-time Grand Slam women's champion.
It also shattered Stosur's aim of ending Australia's 30-year wait for a women's champion at one of the four majors, a streak stretching back to Evonne Goolagong's 1980 Wimbledon win.
Schiavone, who had lost to Stosur in the first round here last year, got her tactics spot on, trumping the seventh seed's power game with clever variations of pace and movement.
She took the ball early, stepped inside and utilised her greater confidence at the net and with her volley to ensure the 26-year-old Stosur was kept on the defensive.
"I didn't prepare anything to say, because I thought that if I did then this would never happen," said Schiavone, who follows compatriot Adriano Panatta, who was men's champion here in 1976, into the Italian record books.
"I felt amazing today. I feel like a champion.
"But I want to say to Samantha that she is a great person. 'You deserve to be here next time. You are young, you can still do it.'"
Stosur paid tribute to World No 17 Schiavone, only the fourth player from outside the top 10 to win the Roland Garros title.
"Well done Francesca. You played a great tournament," said the Australian.
Schiavone, one of the few women to still employ a one-handed backhand, carved out the only break of the first set in the ninth game before claiming the opener in the 10th when an unsettled Stosur netted a backhand return.
The Australian, who had reached the semi-finals in 2009, made it to the final the hard way, having to defeat former World No Ones Justine Henin, Serena Williams, against whom she saved a match point, and Jelena Jankovic.
