Category: French Open

Francesca Schiavone won her first Grand Slam title at age 29, downing Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) at the 2010 French Open in Paris. In doing so, Francesca became the first Italian woman ever to win a Grand Slam title.

It was a thriller of a match, pitting Francesca’s one-handed powerful backhand against Samantha’s two-handed powerful backhand, two great forehands, two great servers, two great players. In the end, it was 17th seeded Schiavone who was able to stay with her game and upend 7th seeded Samantha. The only other time the French title was won by a woman not seeded in the top 10 was in 1933.

Serena and Venus Williams of the USA will ascend to the top of the doubles rankings next week, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced on Wednesday. Serena will also become the sixth player in Tour history to hold the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles simultaneously.

Following their Roland Garros semifinal victory against Liezel Huber and Anabel Medina Garrigues, Serena and Venus will climb to the top of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Doubles Rankings (as of June 7, 2010) for the first time in their career. They are currently ranked World No. 1 and 2, respectively, on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Singles Rankings, but will be joint doubles No. 1.

The 2010 French Open will produce a first-time Grand Slam winner as Francesca Schiavone of Italy faces Samantha Stosur of Australia.

Neither 29 year-old Francesca nor 26 year-old Samantha have ever won a Grand Slam event. Neither have ever even been in a Grand Slam final before. It was only the 2nd time Samantha reached a semifinal (the French Open in 2009), and Schiavone has never been beyond a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam tournament.

Samantha leads their head-to-head series 4-1, including the past four times they have met. All five matches have been straight sets victories. Francesca won their first matchup in 2005. Samantha won the past four, including two on clay.

Samantha Stosur, the 7th seed from Australia, totally dominated 4th seed, Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the 2010 French Open semifinals, winning 6-1, 6-2.

It was Samantha’s third straight win over a player who has held the #1 ranking. She defeated 4-time French Open champion and former #1 Justine Henin of Belgium in the 4th round, and 2002 Roland Garros champ and current #1 Serena Williams of the USA.

Francesca Schiavone of Italy is into her first Grand Slam final after Elena Dementieva retired following the first set of their semifinal match at the 2010 French Open in Paris.

Elena came out onto the court with both thighs wrapped, but seemed to be playing normally at the beginning of the match. With one break each, the 1st set went into a tie-break, which Francesca won 7-3.

At that point, Dementieva walked off the court shaking her head. She went up to a surprised Francesca, sitting in her changeover chair, and offered a concession handshake.

No. 7 seed, Samantha Stosur of Australia stunned the tennis world by taking out World No. 1 Serena Williams of the USA in a 3-set thriller, 6-2, 6-7(2), 8-6 in a quarterfinal match at the 2010 French Open in Paris.

Samantha came out strong, dominating play on her serve and against Serena’s serve. Samantha played patiently, slicing her backhand deep, waiting for the short one which she could put away with her powerful forehand. Serena was obviously frustrated throughout the match with Samantha’s backhand slice.

The No. 5 seed, Elena Dementieva of Russia, survived a bit of a scare against No. 19 seeded countrywoman, Nadia Petrova. Final score: 2-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Both players were slowed by leg injuries which were not helped by cold and rainy conditions. Petrova was hampered by a strained left thigh, which she had rewrapped midway through the first set. Dementieva also received treatment during the 17-minute break, when a trainer taped her right thigh.

Elena hit 25 winners with 24 unforced errors; Nadia had 27 winners, with 27 errors. Elena scored on 6 of 10 break points she held against Nadia; Nadia converted only 3 of 11 break points she held against Elena.

No. 17 seed, Francesca Schiavone of Italy, proved once again that experience can overcome youth as she took out No. 3 seed, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-2, 6-3 in the Quarterfinals of the French Open in Paris.

It was a dominating performance by the 29 year-old Francesca, the oldest woman left in the field, as 19 year-old Caroline, the youngest quarterfinalist, struggled to find her forehand. Both players had trouble holding serve, but Francesca’s nerves held out better as she kept Caroline running corner to corner. Francesca’s offense eventually won out over Caroline’s defense.

Venus Williams of the USA advanced easily to round 3 with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over unseeded No. 59 ranked Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain at the French Open in Paris.

The match pitted two of the older players on tour against each other – Venus, age 29 versus Arantxa, age 27.

No. 3 seed, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, had an easy victory over unseeded, No. 56 ranked Tathiana Garbin of Italy. Caroline took the match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.

Caroline had little trouble against Tathiana, relying on her forehand to break five times in a one-sided contest. She wrapped up the win after just 68 minutes when Garbin fired a forehand long.

Caroline will now face No. 31 seed, Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania.