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Myskina, first Russian woman to win French Open
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-05 22:55
Anastasia Myskina became the first Russian woman to claim a Grand Slam title,
taking advantage of shaky play by compatriot Elena Dementieva to win 6-1, 6-2
Saturday at the French Open.
Anastasia Myskina of Russia holds
the trophy after winning the women's final against her compatriot Elena
Dementieva at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium
in Paris,June 5, 2004. Myskina won the final 6-1 6-2.
[Reuters] | With unspectacular but steady tennis, the No. 6-seeded Myskina capitalized on
Dementieva's erratic performance, including 10 double-faults, to win in 59
minutes.
The match was the first all-Russian Grand Slam final and marked the first
time in 30 years that Russia had even one woman in the final of a major event.
The No. 9-seeded Dementieva has long been plagued by an unreliable serve,
especially in big matches, and that was the case again in her first major final.
She lost her first four service games, and missed her final four serves - for
two more double-faults — to give Myskina a 5-2 lead in the second set.
Myskina herself double-faulted to lose the first game, then settled down and
won the next eight games. She closed the victory when Dementieva sent a return
long, and the two foes and longtime friends embraced at the net.
Argentina also has two players in a Grand Slam final for the first time. No.
3-seeded Guillermo Vilas will play unseeded Gaston Gaudio on Sunday, with the
winner becoming the first Argentine man to win a major title since Guillermo
Vilas at the 1979 Australian Open.
Anastasia Myskina of Russia eyes
the ball while returning a backhand to her compatriot Elena Dementieva in
the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros
stadium in Paris,June 5, 2004. [Reuters] | With women's tennis on the rise in Russia in recent years, Myskina has been
among the nation's most talented young players. Still, the 22-year-old Moscow
native wasn't among the favorites in this year's French Open.
She arrived in Paris with a 1-4 lifetime record at Roland Garros but led a
wave of upsets, beating Venus Williams and 2001 champion Jennifer Capriati en
route to the title.
For the final, the weather was perfect - sunny and 75 degrees - but the
tennis less so, especially from Dementieva.
In her opening service game she double-faulted, hit an ace and double-faulted
again on the first three points. She double-faulted for a third time on break
point as the crowd groaned.
Myskina appeared relaxed as she settled into the match. But Dementieva
struggled with awkward footwork - a sign of nerves - and was often out of
position on shots. Twice she hit swinging volleys into the net.
Anastasia Myskina of Russia
stretches as she returns a forehand to her compatriot Elena Dementieva in
the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros
stadium in Paris,June 5, 2004. [Reuters] | By the end of the first set, Dementieva had 19 unforced errors, including
five double-faults. Her best shot may have been a mis-hit lob that landed on the
net cord and dropped at the feet of a surprised Myskina, who dumped her reply
into the net.
Dementieva held for the first time to trail 2-1, then held again to close to
3-2, but she couldn't keep it up.
Serving at 2-4, she double-faulted on the first point and angrily shouted at
herself in Russian. The outburst didn't help, and she finished with 33 unforced
errors and just 11 winners.
Dementieva and Myskina were the first Russians to reach a women's Grand Slam
final since Dementieva's coach, Olga Morozova, was the runner-up at Wimbledon in
1974.
Myskina became only the third woman - and the first in 42 years - to win the
French Open after saving a match point. She was one point from defeat in her
fourth-round victory against Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Myskina earned $1.02 million and Dementieva $510,000.
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