Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova waited five year to win her second Grand Slam title at French Open after a surprising lopsided win over top-seeded compatriot Dianara Safina on Saturday.
The No. 7 seed beat an out-of-form Safina 6-4, 6-2 with stable and solid performance to lift her second major trophy after winning the U.S. Open in 2004.
Safina, bidding for her first Grand Slam title, was left running with tears after sending Kuznetsova to the Paris crown with a double fault.
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Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova (1L), French Tennis Federation (FTT) Jean Gachassin (2L), former tennis international German Steffi Graf (C) and Russia's Dinara Safina pose during the award ceremony following the French Open women's tennis final match on June 6, 2009 at Roland Garros in Paris June 6, 2009. [Xinhua] |
?The current world number one had to finish runner-up at Roland Garros for a successive second time after losing to Ana Ivanovic in Paris a year ago.
"It's a big moment for me. Some people don't believe I can do it again after long time. But today I made it happen," Kuznetsova said immediately after the match.
"I'm really happy. It's a special time and I've been waiting this moment for so long time," she then addressed the awarding ceremony after being handed the trophy by six times former winner Steffi Graf.
But out there on court, a sympathetic Kuznetsova did not celebrate her victory immediately after the match. She did not even smile seeing Safina's last ball hit the tape and float towards the alley. Instead of just shaking hands, she gave her childhood friend a warm hug and a kiss across the net. It was then that the 23-year-old turned to the cheering crowd and waved in salute.
"I was like, oh, my God, double fault. I cannot smile at her face after her double fault. No, I respect her a lot to do that," she later explained. "Maybe I smile back when I turn back, but definitely not after the double fault."
Kuznetsova also tried to console her friend at the ceremony, saying "you also deserve it and you've been working hard. I just played better today. You'll get it one day. I'm so sorry..."
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Former tennis player Steffi Graf (R) kisses Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia after she won her women's final at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris June 6, 2009. [Xinhua]? |
A tearful Safina, also 23, put a brave face on her bitter failure, wishing Kuznetsova good luck, and vowed to be back next year.
"She really deserved it. I wish her good luck the rest of the year and in the future," Safina said. "I'll play here again next year. With the same support, hopefully I can win it."
Safina had played in super form, surging to a 20-1 record before the final on clay and losing only one set in the previous six rounds of the tournament. While the showdown was expected to be a close one, she was paralyzed with nerves and played like a shadow of her usual self throughout 75 minutes.
Despite the fact that Kuznetsova was the only woman who beat Safina this year even before the final, history took Safina's side as she had won five of their last six meetings.
Kuznetsova broke at 3-3 in the first set before pulling off to a 5-3 lead. Safina roared right back to break to love. But any hope that this would give her the necessary confidence was short-lived as her opponent immediately broke again to take the set.
It soon became clear that Safina was struggling with the same lack of confidence that had blighted her first Grand Slam final appearance this year, in which she surrendered to Serena Williams in Australia five months ago without any real competition, as she continued to self-destruct in the second half.
"I was a little bit desperate on the court, and didn't do the things that I had to do. Didn't stay tough mentally," Safina said.
"I put pressure on myself because I really wanted to win. I just didn't handle it," she added.
(Xinhua News Agency June 7, 2009)
