Schiavone clinches historic French Open triumph

PARIS: Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title after defeating Australian favourite Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in the French Open final.

Victory made the 29-year-old the second oldest first-time Grand Slam women’s champion and 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.

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.

Stosur finally got the measure of her opponent to break and hold for a 4-1 advantage. However, Schiavone bravely regained the break in the seventh game when Stosur went dramatically off the boil and backed it up with a hold for 4-4. The set was decided by a tiebreak and Schiavone went to four match points with a sweet drop volley which she converted into the title when Stosur unleashed the last of many untidy returns which ballooned into the stands.

The emotional Italian collapsed to the ground in joy before, covered in the red dirt of Paris, she clambered up into the crowd to spark a wild celebration with family and friends.

“I felt amazing today. I feel like a champion,” said Schiavone, who follows compatriot Adriano Panatta, who was men’s champion here in 1976, into the Italian record books.

Stosur paid tribute to world number 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.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2010.