By Erik Gudris | Saturday, June 7, 2014

 

Maria Sharapova needed yet another three set win on clay to defeat Simona Halep of Romania. Her reward - a hard fought and well earned second French Open title.

Photo Source: Peter Staples

Whatever it takes.

That's what Maria Sharapova said she would do to win her second French Open. That included needing yet another three set win on clay, her 20th, against a determined Simona Halep of Romania in Saturday's women's final.

Rapid Reaction: Sharapova Defeats Halep for Second Roland Garros Title

The longest French Open women's final since 1996 and the first three setter since 2001, both Halep and Sharapova produced stellar hitting, defiant defense, plenty of drama, and some controversy over perceived gamesmanship.

While Sharapova entered the court on Saturday contesting her ninth career major final, the day marked Halep's debut appearance in the last round of a Grand Slam. Despite Sharapova's experience, she looked the more nervous as she opened with a ragged service game that included a double fault and a bad backhand miscue. Halep, now up a break, used pinpoint accuracy in moving Sharapova all over the court. Though using her trademark power to blast winners past her opponent, Sharapova's own defense proved key in keeping her in the rallies.

Breaking back for 2-all, Sharapova started taking extra long time between her first and second serves. While complaints from social media and those commentating on television filtered in, umpire Kadir Nouni allowed Sharapova to serve at her own pace, even if it was outside the standard time allotted. Up 3-2, Sharapova hoisted up a well-placed lob to earn break points on Halep. Firing down a big backhand winner, Sharapova converted for 4-2 and looked ready to roll through the set.

That didn't happen even after both women posted easy service holds in the next games. Now serving on the side of the court where glaring sunlight proved an issue, Sharapova found herself broken for 5-4. Once again, Sharapova responded with backcourt defense in the next game. Attacking Halep's second serve on set point, Sharapova forced Halep to hit long.

With that, Sharapova clinched the set 6-4. Based on her French Open 40-1 record after winning the opening set, Sharapova looked poised for a straight sets win.

How Halep would handle being down a set in her first Grand Slam final proved the biggest question entering the second set. With Halep looking discouraging and reacting rather than creating opportunities, Sharapova jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Paris crowd began chanting Halep's name hoping it would inspire her. Sharapova, meanwhile, resumed her service woes from earlier. But despite tossing in three double faults, Sharapova would hold for 3-2.

Later at 4-3, Sharapova looked ready to perhaps close out the match. Halep however decided to take things in her own hands. Halep starting finding extra pop on her shots allowing her to crack several winners. Though holding a lead, Sharapova was forced into deuce. The next point proved the best of the day with both women playing scrambling defense until Sharapova put a backhand into the net.

Halep soon broke for 5-4 and now it was her turn to serve for a set. Yet perhaps feeling the moment, Halep rushed through the next game and faced break points. A helpful net cord return winner put Sharapova back on even terms at 5-all.

With momentum shifting each game, Halep broke Sharapova again for 6-5. Halep, rushing once more and not helped either by a broken string, dropped serve once more. The resulting tiebreak proved an error fest for both women despite Sharapova holding a 4-2 lead on the changeover.

Perhaps fed up with Sharapova's constant slowing down between serves, Halep decided to do the same. With Sharapova serving up 5-3, Halep briefly halted play before returning serve. That moment threw off Sharapova as she would go on to lose the next four points in a row. Halep converted on set point thanks to a Sharapova error and with that, the women's final entered a deciding set for the first time in 13 years.

Sharapova left the court for an extended bathroom break. Was it yet another attempt to slow things down? If so, it seemed to work as Sharapova came back and broke Halep right away for 1-0. With Sharapova taking more time between serves in the next game, umpire Nouni finally delivered a warning to Sharapova. Her response was dropping serve putting the set back level at 1-all.

With Halep changing up direction and pace on her shots, Sharapova responded by what she does best - hitting big and then bigger when needed. Scraping out a hold for 2-all, Sharapova got Halep on the run in the next game that resulted in yet another break for Sharapova. Holding at love on the sunny side of the court for 4-2, Sharapova looked in control at last.

But another plot twist happened soon enough at 4-3. Halep sliced a deep backhand at Sharapova's feet that the Russian couldn't handle. Now facing a break point, Sharapova dumped in another double fault.

Now knotted at 4-all, the next question was who would seize the moment or wait for the other to fade away? Sharapova, as she's done before, decided she would end things on her terms. With the match already over three hours, Sharapova rose to the occasion with some of her best tennis all match. Sharapova ripped a crosscourt forehand winner for 0-30. Another winner got her to 0-40. One more massive strike provided Sharapova the break and the chance to serve for the title.

Halep's bedeviling defense may have rattled Sharapova all day long. But Sharapova's iron will to win once again proved her greatest weapon in the final game. Striking the ball with more intensity, Sharapova hit winner after winner to soon set up championship point. A potent serve backed up by a fearsome forehand result in one last Halep error.

With that, Sharapova collapsed in relief and celebration on claiming her second French Open title 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4. This marks the fifth career major win for Sharapova.

For Halep, who just after the match buried her head in a towel, the two weeks proved a huge breakthrough. Her efforts will see her rise to No. 3 in the world. Smiling afterwards, Halep told NBC's Mary Carillo she can only look forward to the future.

"I'm really happy I could make a good match. But I'm a little bit sad I couldn't win. But that's tennis, that's life. And I will look forward to work hard and maybe have one more time here in Paris and why not to win it," Halep said.

Sharapova, who later said this was the toughest Grand Slam final she's ever played, joked later with Carillo about having had to battle in so many three set matches during the two weeks.

"These matches will age me that's for sure," Sharapova said with a laugh. "The victory obviously the match point I think it gets a couple of years back but during the match you age 10 or 20 years."

Halep and Sharapova combined in a match for the ages at Roland Garros. But it's Sharapova, who proved her will to win is the best weapon she possesses, once again finds herself the queen of Paris.