Ivanovic crowned French Open champ, queen of clay

Paris: This time Ana Ivanovic was ready for the French Open final.
Showing no sign of the nerves that afflicted her a year ago, Ivanovic won her first Grand Slam title Saturday by beating Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-3.
By reaching the final, Ivanovic had already assured herself of being ranked No. 1 for the first time next week. And the Serb's performance was No. 1-calibre against Safina.

"I'm just so happy I kept my composure until the end," Ivanovic said during the trophy ceremony. "Last year's final was a great learning experience."
A shaky Ivanovic played in her first major at Roland Garros in 2007 and won only three games from Justine Henin. But against Safina she was as cool as the weather, showing hardly a bead of perspiration even as she sprinted from corner to corner retrieving shots.

The 20-year-old Ivanovic slugged winners from both sides, feasted on Safina's sometimes shaky serve and scurried to extend points, which led to plenty of entertaining rallies. Ivanovic won most of them, including one frantic exchange that she finished off with a delicate drop shot and ferocious fist pump.
Ivanovic won match point with a backhand up the line, then dropped her racket, collapsed into a crouch and covered her face. After blowing kisses to the crowd, she used a chair to climb into the stands and share hugs with family and friends.
"I tried to call them to help me to come up, but they were hugging each other," Ivanovic said with a laugh. "I was like, 'Hey, what about me?' ...
"I feel so happy. I have no words to describe that. Winning a Grand Slam is something I dreamed since I was a little kid, so achieving that goal is very thrilling."


Henin, a four-time French Open champion who retired last month while ranked No. 1, watched the final from the front row and presented Ivanovic with the trophy. Ivanovic said she noticed Henin before the match.
"Seeing her today in the crowd, it made me feel really, really good," Ivanovic said. "I thought, 'Maybe I can be like her _ I can win a title."'

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