Italy hails its first 'Queen of France'
Source: Agencies |
June 7, 2010, Monday
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ITALY seldom has an opportunity to herald individual success on the tennis court, so Francesca Schiavone's French Open triumph was greeted with banner headlines and praise from politicians to popstars yesterday.
Saturday's 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Australia's seventh-seeded Sam Stosur enabled the 29-year-old to become the first Italian woman to claim a grand slam singles title and the first person from her country to achieve the feat since Adriano Panatta at Roland Garros in 1976.
"A really wonderful thing has happened," Panatta told reporters. "The credit all goes to Francesca. Sure she will have had people around her who helped but in the end it's the one who goes on court who counts."
Schiavone's Paris triumph received top billing in Italy's Sunday newspapers despite the national soccer team playing its final World Cup warmup and MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi breaking his leg.
"Historic victory," read the front page of Gazzetta Sportiva, the Sunday version of the mass circulation Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Francesca is the first Queen of France."
The front page of Corriere dello Sport simply labeled her triumph "mythical".
Fed Cup champs
Italy's women are the current Fed Cup champions so interest in the sport has been growing, now Schiavone's win is set to lead to the nation's tennis courts being fully booked in the coming weeks.
"Francesca Schiavone has done a great favor for all sport," said Fed Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti, who was in the stands at Roland Garros as Schiavone clambered up the seating for a group hug.
"When she came up it seemed like she still didn't believe she had done something so amazing, there were tears of immense joy."
It took 12 years of hard graft to finally realize her dream but Schiavone said the long wait made her French Open title taste even sweeter.
The Milanese, who turns 30 later this month, became the oldest first-time grand slam winner since 1969.
No wonder Schiavone, who turned professional in 1998, planted kisses on the Parisian claycourt at the end before celebrating wildly with 50 or so friends and family who cheered her every winner from the sunlit stands.
"To kiss the ground for me is to thank this clay, this beautiful tournament and this arena," said the 17th seed, who will rise to sixth in the world rankings, the first time she has been in the top 10.
Saturday's 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Australia's seventh-seeded Sam Stosur enabled the 29-year-old to become the first Italian woman to claim a grand slam singles title and the first person from her country to achieve the feat since Adriano Panatta at Roland Garros in 1976.
"A really wonderful thing has happened," Panatta told reporters. "The credit all goes to Francesca. Sure she will have had people around her who helped but in the end it's the one who goes on court who counts."
Schiavone's Paris triumph received top billing in Italy's Sunday newspapers despite the national soccer team playing its final World Cup warmup and MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi breaking his leg.
"Historic victory," read the front page of Gazzetta Sportiva, the Sunday version of the mass circulation Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Francesca is the first Queen of France."
The front page of Corriere dello Sport simply labeled her triumph "mythical".
Fed Cup champs
Italy's women are the current Fed Cup champions so interest in the sport has been growing, now Schiavone's win is set to lead to the nation's tennis courts being fully booked in the coming weeks.
"Francesca Schiavone has done a great favor for all sport," said Fed Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti, who was in the stands at Roland Garros as Schiavone clambered up the seating for a group hug.
"When she came up it seemed like she still didn't believe she had done something so amazing, there were tears of immense joy."
It took 12 years of hard graft to finally realize her dream but Schiavone said the long wait made her French Open title taste even sweeter.
The Milanese, who turns 30 later this month, became the oldest first-time grand slam winner since 1969.
No wonder Schiavone, who turned professional in 1998, planted kisses on the Parisian claycourt at the end before celebrating wildly with 50 or so friends and family who cheered her every winner from the sunlit stands.
"To kiss the ground for me is to thank this clay, this beautiful tournament and this arena," said the 17th seed, who will rise to sixth in the world rankings, the first time she has been in the top 10.
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