Sheer Ecstasy
Maria Sharapova overcomes Simona Halep in three sets in sweltering temperatures to clinch her second French Open championship at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday. The Russian defeated the fourth-ranked Romanian in the tournament’s second longest final of 3hr 2min
MARIA Sharapova won her second French Open title in three years at Roland Garros yesterday, defeating Romania’s Simona Halep 6-4 6-7 6-4 in a gripping final, the first to go the full distance in Paris in 13 years and the second longest on record.
It was the 27-year-old Russian’s fifth grand slam title, bringing her level with Martina Hingis on the all-time list, and it came 10 years after she won her first major at Wimbledon 2004.
Sharapova, who completed a career sweep of all four grand slam titles in Paris in 2012 before losing to Serena Williams last year, also moved to No 2 on the all-time prize-money earnings, with only the American ahead of her.
But it took all her legendary grit and resolve to recover from the agonising loss of the second set on a tie-break after she had stood just two points away from the title at 5-3.
“It’s the toughest grand slam final I have ever played,” said Sharapova. “I can’t believe that at 27 I have won the French Open more times than any other grand slam.”
Halep, whose meteoric rise to the top bracket in women’s tennis over the past 18 months has projected her as a potential champion, will climb to a careerhigh third in world rankings.
“I wish to have many more [grand slam finals], but this will be special for me all my life. I had two incredible weeks here and I played my best tennis,” she said.
The two finalists reached the championship match in starkly contrasting styles.
Fourth-seeded Halep did not drop a single set in her six matches, and seventh-seed Sharapova needed to battle back from first-set losses in her three previous outings.
But experience was massively on the Russian’s side. This was her ninth grand slam final dating back 10 years, while Halep was playing in her first at the age of 22.
Sharapova also towered over her opponent at 1.88m compared with Halep’s 1.68m.
It was yet another shaky start from Sharapova as the final got under way on a sun-splashed and sultry centre court.
She dropped serve in the first game and was soon 2-0 down, but the Russian found her range and was back level after a thrilling fourth game that saw several deuces and some big hitting from both ends.
In what was developing into a final of the highest quality, the
I can’t believe that at 27 I have won the French Open more times than any other grand slam In what was developing into a final of the highest quality, the first five games all went to deuce
first five games all went to deuce, but it was Sharapova who gradually gained ascendancy.
She broke Halep’s serve again, this time to 15, to lead 4-2, but three games later her suspect serve let her down and the Romanian broke back. However, Halep was unable to level the score as she dropped serve for the third time, handing Sharapova the set in 57 minutes.
Sharapova opened the second set with a confident love game on serve and came out on top in another lengthy deuce tussle to move 2-0 ahead.
The biggest earner in women’s sport and a global superstar was finally in the driving seat, but her level unaccountably dipped as Halep broke back to level at 2-2.
Two double faults to start the next game had Sharapova looking anxious, but she compensated with some hefty hitting off both flanks to regain the lead.
Three games later the Russian squandered two break points and then played a sloppy service game, allowing Halep to break from 15-40 down.
Then Sharapova found a new gear just when she needed it. The Russian broke clear to lead 4-2 before Halep once again reeled her in to level at 4-4. The 16th break of serve in the next game saw Sharapova on the way to stagger past the winning post after three hours and two minutes of enthralling tennis.