We like to remember tennis’ heroic efforts, but the truth is that the sport has been filled with just as many ignominious collapses. How many times have we seen players swing freely in the early stages of big matches, only to freeze up when they find themselves with a lead, with something to lose? Tennis fans watching the French Open final this spring could have been forgiven for thinking that a similar fate would befall Italy’s Francesca Schiavone as she closed in on an unlikely Grand Slam victory. The 29-year-old had never reached the semis at a major, let alone a final. But instead of tightening up, Schiavone grabbed her moment. With only a tiebreaker left to win, she played her freest tennis of the day to beat the favored Stosur. And her humble speech on the trophy stand sealed the deal with fans. “I’ve always watched every final of this tournament and I know what the big champions say,” Schiavone said. "I want to thank everybody." Schiavone showed that, in the right time and place, there’s a big champion in all of us.
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Originally published in the November/December 2010 issue of* TENNIS.
2010 Aces & Faults
—Sock Hopping: Sock goes from high school to pros
—After the Hype, Miller Doesn't Bode Well: Skier tries tennis, again
—Booted: The story of Serena's injured foot
—Match of the Year: The Isner-Mahut Wimbledon epic
—Unwelcome Milestones: American mens' struggles
—Gone...And Back Again: Querrey's quick turnaround
—Swimming the Channel: Rafa does the clay-grass double
—Biggest Disappointment: Dinara Safina
—All in a Day's Work: Blake's beef with Shriver
—Coach of the Year: Hernan Gumy
—Seizing the Clay: Schiavone's unlikely title run
—Struck Out: Soderling ends Federer's semifinal streak
—Comeback, Interrupted: Henin's return cut short
—Wayne's Shame: Odesnik caught with HGH
—Dee Worst, Judge Says: The world's worst player
—Most Improved: Sam Stosur
—Player of the Year: Rafael Nadal
—Newcomer of the Year: Larry Ellison