Paris: 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 on Saturday, 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 onto 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."
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.
"I was feeling much more energy, more and more and more," Schiavone said. "I couldn't stop it. I really felt that was my moment, and I took it. I didn't lose the chance."
Both players were first-time Grand Slam finalists, but there were few signs of jitters. Schiavone certainly looked relaxed _ during one changeover break she laughed as her fans chanted.
"They both played very good, aggressive, creative tennis," Navratilova said. "It's nice to see two creative players make it to the finals and then play a good final."
The No. 5-seeded Stosur beat four-time champion Justine Henin, top-ranked Serena Williams and former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic en route to the final.
"I'm disappointed," Stosur said, her voice breaking. "It's a big journey and a great two weeks. You want the full fairy tale, but it didn't quite happen."
The title came in Schiavone's 39th Grand Slam tournament. On Monday, two weeks shy of her 30th birthday, she'll become the oldest woman in 12 years to crack the top 10 for the first time.
She's expected to be ranked sixth.
