Italy's Schiavone tops French Open

PARIS (AP):

With the performance of a lifetime, Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam title by beating Samantha Stosur in the final of the French Open yesterday, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Schiavone threw uppercuts, put her fists to her face, skipped about the court and laughed at the crowd's enthusiasm. And then, when she had won the final, she really let her emotions show.

The tour veteran rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set and took the clinching tiebreaker with a succession of brilliant shots.

On winning, Schiavone fell on to her back, then rolled over and kissed the clay. She rose covered with dirt, hugged Stosur and broke into a champion's grin, then trotted over to the wall behind the baseline and climbed it for a group hug with her supporters.

"The passion came through," 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova said. "She wanted it. She wanted it badly. She was going to die on that court if she had to."

Amazing

Mary Pierce, the 2000 champion, presented Schiavone with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup.

"You give me a great trophy," Schiavone told her. "I feel amazing."

At 29, Schiavone became the oldest woman to win her first Grand Slam title since Ann Jones won Wimbledon in 1969 at age 30. She's the first Italian Grand Slam champion since Adriano Panatta won the French Open men's title in 1976.

Schiavone was seeded 17th. The only other time the title has been won by a woman not seeded in the top 10 was in 1933.

"Everybody has the chance to be who you really want to be, and do everything in your life," Schiavone said. "This is what has happened to me."

The women's final was the best in nearly a decade at Roland Garros, and the quality of play climaxed in the tiebreaker. Schiavone reached match point by hitting four consecutive winners, the last a lunging backhand volley, and she exulted after every one.

Spain's Rafael Nadal will meet Sweden's Robin Soderling in today's men's final.