June 07, 2010

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The name Francesca is derived from the Latin term Franciscus, meaning French. So perhaps it was only destiny that Francesca Schiavone, an unlikely candidate to win a Grand Slam title, would capture her first career major at Roland-Garros.

Playing the red hot Samantha Stosur in a championship final between two first time Grand Slam finalists, Schiavone was solid form everywhere on the court and controlled the points in a variety of ways - topspin groundstrokes, creativity at the net and crafty retrieving.

After breaking serve in the ninth game of the match and serving out the first set, Schiavone rallied from 4-1 down in the second set against the tournament's seventh seeded and went on to play a perfect tiebreak to clinch one of the most unlikely Grand Slam title runs in tennis history, 6-4, 76(2).

"I didn't prepare anything, because whenever I prepare something for the future, it doesn't happen," Schiavone told the crowd during the trophy presentation. "I've watched every final of this tournament and I know what the big champions say. So I want to thank everybody. I felt amazing today. I'm really, really happy."

Schiavone, who turns 30 years old this month, is the second oldest player in the Open Era to win their first Grand Slam title. Not only was Schiavone the first Italian woman to ever win a major, she was also the first to play a slam final and the first in the Open Era to reach a major semi.

Stosur had been on fire throughout the tournament and has been one of the MVPs of the 2010 season. She has had more clay court wins and more overall wins than any of her peers The Aussie had defeated three No. 1s en route to the final including Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic.