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Tennis > Stosur extra hungry to win grand slam
By Tom Wald
June 6, 2010

She may have been left with a bitter aftertaste from her first grand slam final but Sam Stosur remains hungry for more.

The Queenslander's Paris bubble was popped by Francesca Schiavone in Saturday's French Open final, the scheming Italian outplaying the Australian in her 6-4 7-6 (7-2) triumph.

"I guess you want the full fairytale, but it didn't quite happen," the Australian said.

But despite the disappointment of a missed opportunity, Stosur was still clinging to the upside of her Roland Garros adventure.

"Without a doubt I wish I had won. But it is definitely going to make me hungry for the next grand slam and coming back here next year," she said.

"Hopefully I do get another chance to play here in a final again because it is very special."

The theatrical Schiavone, 29, played out of her skin in Saturday's title decider and performed at a technical and tactical level that most thought was well beyond her.

Having been dismissed in straight sets in their past four meetings, the court-kissing Italian decided for a more aggressive plan of attack.

She picked apart the power game of Stosur that had accounted for past and present world No.1s Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic in Paris.

Schiavone avoided Stosur's potent forehand early in rallies and used the Australian's uncertainty at times at the net to her advantage.

"She just had her day," said Stosur.

"She went for it and everything came off.

"You know, it takes guts to do that, and she did it.

"I mean, I don't think I can really say I did anything wrong.

"It was just well done to her."

But there was more to it than that.

Stosur failed to take the initiative at key stages and Schiavone showed that she needs to work on her finesse.

In some ways, the Queenslander paid the price for her success. She better get used to that.

She is now a top ten player, has sent big names tumbling at successive French Opens and is firmly on radar of every single player.

Stosur's style of play is being more closely scrutinised then ever and it is up to her camp to continually devise new ways of combating opponents.

Schiavone and Stosur already have a date pencilled in for another encounter, a tantalising clash in the opening round of next year's Fed Cup in Australia on February 5-6.

While grass is her worst surface, Stosur felt she was ready to reach the second week of Wimbledon for the first time later this month.

She has never progressed beyond the third round at the All England club.

"Why not?" she said.

"It has not been my greatest slam but I am sure everything that has happened this week is going to help me regardless of the surface it is on.

"It is another slam so I am going to be giving it my best shot but to be there in the second week for the first time would be nice.".
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