Mauresmo defends Italian Open title
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-16 10:57

Amelie Mauresmo hopes to finally translate her success in Rome to the upcoming French Open. Mauresmo won her second straight Italian Open title with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over eighth-seeded Patty Schnyder on Sunday. The Frenchwoman has reached the final here five consecutive times, but she has never advanced past the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.

France's Amelie Mauresmo lifts the winner's cup after her final tennis match against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder during the Italian Masters tennis tournament in Rome May 15, 2005. Mauresmo won 2-6 6-3 6-4. [Agencies]

Winning this important clay-court tuneup for the French Open, which starts May 23, can only give her momentum.

"I really came here without any rhythm and just tried to relax and here I am the last day with the trophy," Mauresmo said. "Maybe I should try this at the Grand Slams or the French."

Even Schnyder wants to see Mauresmo triumph in Paris.

"She's always a favorite at the French," Schnyder said. "I don't know what it's going to take for her but I definitely hope she can do it once."

On the court Sunday, Mauresmo and Schnyder traded breaks early in the second set. Mauresmo then became more aggressive after a verbal exchange with chair umpire Romano Grillotti.

A linesman ruled Schnyder's serve was in, but Mauresmo didn't play the ball, circling a mark on the clay instead. Grillotti came down and pointed to a different mark and ruled the shot was good.

"I was very (upset) with him because I showed him the mark, but he said it was another mark but he was not able to show me the other mark," Mauresmo said.

Four points later, after another of Schnyder's shots landed with a visibly wide margin outside the line, Mauresmo extended her arms and glared at Grillotti in a mocking gesture.

After two more points, Mauresmo hit a forehand winner to break again and take a 5-3 lead, then held serve at love to close out the set.

In the third set, Mauresmo took control with a backhand return of serve that landed in the corner of the court to go up 3-2. She maintained the advantage and knelt down and kissed the clay when Schnyder's shot sailed long to clinch the match.

Mauresmo improved to 25-6 this season and won her 17th career title, including her three-set victory over Jennifer Capriati in last year's Italian Open final.

"Now I'm going to rest a little bit, then start to practice again for the French Open. I hope I play like this," Mauresmo said.

Schnyder won the first set with two service breaks, saving three break points in the final game before closing out the set with a powerful ace up the middle.

Using spins, slices and angled shots to put Mauresmo on the defensive, Schnyder also won several early exchanges at the net with passing shots.

"She's able to do so many things and we don't see these types of players anymore," Mauresmo said.

Schnyder, who comes from the same Swiss city — Basel — as top-ranked men's player Roger Federer, upset top-seeded Maria Sharapova in the semifinals after dropping the first set. Currently ranked 13th, her runner-up performance should be enough to put Schnyder back in the top 10 for the first time in six years.

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