French Open : Finals

Roger Federer became only the sixth man to achieve the career Grand Slam. Federer joins Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi as the only men to have won all four Grand Slam titles and equalled Pete Sampras’ record of 14 majors by defeating Robin Soderling in straight sets in Sunday’s men’s final. Relive every game of this historic match right here.

Roger Federer became only the sixth man to achieve the career Grand Slam and equalled Pete Sampras’ record of 14 majors by defeating Robin Soderling in straight sets in Sunday’s men’s final. Relive every game of this historic match right here. He wrapped up a 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 victory in one hour and 55 minutes.

He looked a picture of calm from the moment he set foot on Court Phillipe Chatrier and, cheered on by large sections of the crowd, made a blistering start.

An understandably nervous-looking Soderling, contesting his first Grand Slam final, went wide once and long twice before double-faulting to give his opponent an effortless break of serve in game one.

Federer backed that up with a majestic service game, which he held to love with one booming ace and the most delightful sliced backhand which died as soon as it touched the red dirt.

"It might be the greatest victory of my career," said the 27-year-old.

"It takes away so much pressure. Now, I can play in peace for the rest of my career.

"Nobody will never tell me again that I have not won Roland Garros. It's nice to be up here on the podium as a winner this time.

"I would like to congratulate you Robin on an incredible tournament, you beat so many wonderful players on the way.

"It's always hard to lose in the final but it's an incredible surprise.

"I hope you can keep it up for many years to come. All the best and congratulations."

Federer joins the elite group of Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as the only men to clinch all four major titles.

A tearful Federer was touched by the presence of Agassi.

"Of course I'd like to thank Andre for being here. It means the world to me.

"We've had some great matches over the years. For you to be here, the last man to win all four grand slams... now I know what it really feels like.

"You're a hell of a guy and I wish you all the best for your private life. It's a pity you're not playing any more but I don't miss you."

Soderling was thrilled just to have reached the final and found time to issue a light-hearted warning to his rival after his defeat.

He said: "You know you beat me nine times in a row before this match, we were joking nobody can beat me 10 times in a row. We were wrong. But next time we play... nobody can beat me 11 times in a row, I promise you!"

Svetlana Kuznetsova’s five-year wait for a second Grand Slam title is over. The Russian won the 2009 French Open title, emerging victorious 6-4 6-2 after her opponent – No1 seed Dinara Safina – was paralysed with nerves throughout the 75-minute contest.

The match that pitted the best two clay-courters from 2009 deserved to be a closely fought affair. Kuznetsova had won 15 of her 17 matches on red brick this season, while Safina’s record was even more impressive: 20 victories and only one defeat. That loss came in the final in Stuttgart against none other than Kuznetsova, but the world No1 took only six days to get her revenge, defeating her friend from St Petersburg in straight sets in the final of the more prestigious Rome tournament. The two had previously lost in the final here (Kuznetsova to Justine Henin in her 2006 pomp, Safina to Ivanovic last year) and were eager to go one better.

French Open: Day 11 & 12 Update

Day 11: Sam Stosur, Roger Federer and Juan Mrtin Del Potro cruised into the semi-finals in straight sets while Svetlana Kuznetsova was made to fight all the way against Serena Williams before she booked her spot.

Day 12: Russian women's final after Dinara Safina defeated Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets and Svetlana Kuznetsova battled past Sam Stosur in three. And Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan are mixed doubles champions.

French Open: Day 4 Update

The most spectacular moment of Andy Murray’s second-round win at Roland Garros came when he attempted to chase down one of Potito Starace’s devilishly good drop-shots, lost his footing and ended up inadvertently performing a forward-roll across Court Philippe Chatrier. A giant red smear of clay appeared on the back of his black shirt. There was also a stage when it appeared as though the red clay was going to be smeared over Murray’s French Open ambitions, as he was twice a point away from going two sets to one down.

In the end, Murray went through, but not before he had had that tumble on the clay, been bamboozled by those well-disguised drop-shots, and had lost his way in the second set and for the first half of the third set. If Murray’s tennis was decidedly average for a long period, his four-set, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory was anything but ordinary.

“The most important thing is that I found a way to win,” said Murray, but he will need to play a tighter match if he is to have control of events against Tipsarevic, who yesterday put out Spain’s Feliciano Lopez. Murray and Tipsarevic, the world No65, have played four times previously, but this will be their first match on clay.

Sharapova had been away from the slams for so long, because of a shoulder injury, it had almost been forgotten how she likes to mark important victories by blowing kisses at the spectators and down a television lens.

It would not have been that surprising if Sharapova, who played this tournament last year as the world No 1, but who is now ranked 102, had lost to Petrova. But Sharapova's greatest quality has always been her will to win, and that mental fortitude gave her the edge in the decider; she won 6-2, 1-6, 8-6.

In reaching the last 32, Dinara Safina has dropped just two games, as she followed up her 6-0, 6-0 win over Britain's Anne Keothavong by beating Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1, 6-1. Safina, the Russian world No 1, led 5-0 in the first set, having won her first 17 games of the tournament. Safina, the runner-up last year to Ana Ivanovic, has won her last two clay-court tournaments, in Rome and Madrid, and is in the best form of her tennis life.

Defending champion Ana Ivanovic swept into the French Open last 32 with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-2 victory over Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn. The 21-year-old Serbian has experienced a disappointing 12 months since lifting her first major title at Roland Garros last summer, but she looked in tip-top condition as she engineered her passage into the third round.

Big man Marat Safin crashed out in 2nd round against unseeded Josselin Quanna 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 4-6 3-6 10-8. Marat was leading 2-0 but Qunanna died for each volley and made 2-2, and wins against Marat.

Fernando Verdasco made short work of Philipp Petzschner out on Court 2. The eighth seed is looking in fine fettle and hardly broke a sweat in a 6-1 6-2 6-3 win.

Rafael Nadal's French Open winning streak reached a record 30 consecutive matches Wednesday. Nadal already had bettered Bjorn Borg's men's mark of 28 straight victories at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament; now the Spaniard topped Chris Evert's overall record of 29, too.

Trying to become the first player with five championships in a row at Roland Garros, Nadal moved into the third round by beating 72nd-ranked Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.

French Open: Day 2 update

The sun sets over the Suzanne Lenglen court at the French Open on May 25, 2009 in Paris, France. Safina, Venus Williams, Nadal, Federer and Sharapova all went through.

Dinara Safina, 2008 runner-up who is bidding to win her maiden Grand Slam title, will now face fellow-Russiant Vitalia Diatchenko for a place in the last 32 after her 6-0 6-0 whitewash.World number 48 Keothavong became the first British woman in 26 years to reach the semifinals of a WTA clay-court event in Warsaw last week.


Third seed Venus Williams, who has never won in Paris, is also through to the second round, but the Wimbledon champion looked far from impressive in desposing of fellow-American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1 4-6 6-2.


Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova made a winning return to Grand Slam tennis when she came from behind to beat Belarus' Anastasiya Yakimova 3-6 6-1 6-2.


Defending champion Rafael Nadal saw off a spirited challenge from Brazil's Marcos Daniel to reach round two of the French Open with a 7-5 6-4 6-3 win.

Daniel matched Nadal stride for stride before the world number one broke at 5-5 and served out the first set. “I wasn't at my best level but it's been like that for the last four years (in the first round) and I've won in three sets, so that's a positive” Rafael said.


Nadal found it difficult to shake off his 97th-ranked opponent but edged the second set and eased through the third. Nadal, wearing a bright pink shirt, had been on the back foot for much of the first half of the match but at last he took the initiative and Daniel could not deal with the precision of the Spaniard's forehand.

Roger Federer was next on Court Philippe Chatrier and he eased past Spain's Albert Martin 6-4 6-3 6-2. "I didn't have much trouble on my service games," said the Swiss. "I mixed up my shots well to finish it off." Federer said.


Roger Federer feels he could beat reigning champion Rafael Nadal at this year's French Open in Paris, because despite winning the last four tournaments the Spaniard is "Nadal is only human."

The world number two is hoping this year will prove to be a turning point after suffering three consecutive final defeats to Nadal at Roland Garros.

"He's won four straight times here in Paris which shows how tough he is, but if you play him the right way there will be chances, he is only human and we wait for that moment when he is not at his best; hopefully that will be this year," the Swiss said.

Federer's win is another positive result to add to the good form that saw him complete his first victory over Nadal in almost two years when taking the Madrid Open title.

"I feel good, that's most important, I'm confident and feel like I can beat the best and win again.


Sixth seed Andy Roddick won a match at the French Open for the first time since 2005, serving impressively as he swept past France's Romain Jouan 6-2 6-4 6-2.