Errani puts mind to it, works her way to final

PARIS — When Maria Sharapova’s opponent in the French Open final, Sara Errani, was 12 years old, she struck out on her own, leaving behind her family in Italy and heading off to Nick Bollettieri’s tennis academy in Florida.

Far from her parents, and unable to speak English well, Errani stuck it out for about 10 months, crying nearly every day. She called home a lot.

“I knew she was determined and focused,” her mother, Fulvia, said after watching Errani win her first Grand Slam semifinal, “so I knew she would figure things out.”

Now 25, Errani most certainly has.

She figured out she needed to go back to Europe, eventually finding a new coach and a place to train in Spain. She figured out how to overcome the limitations of a 5-4 frame in a sport filled with taller, harder hitters — such as the 6-2 Sharapova, a threetime major champion who will be standing across the net today at Roland Garros the title at stake.

Mostly, Errani figured out that it made no sense to worry about whether she would ever be good enough to beat the best and instead focused on always improving.

“It’s not a question of believing or not believing. I don’t think about that,” Errani said. “I just think about playing. I just think about going on court and giving my all, and whatever happens, happens. I’ve never thought, ‘I can’t beat someone in the top 10.’ I play and give my best, and if I don’t win, I don’t win.”

Sharapova, who was born in Siberia and moved with her father to Florida as a child, worked with Bollettieri, too.

“I don’t remember crossing paths,” Sharapova said. “We have never played against each other, but I certainly know she’s a dangerous player because of the way she’s played here and because of the way she’s performed on clay this year.”