Russian girl becomes No. 1 PARIS – One victory Thursday finished Maria Sharapova's climb back to the top of the tennis rankings. With one more Saturday, she'll be the French Open champion and complete a career Grand Slam. Not a bad way to spend springtime in Paris. Sharapova defeated Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3 in the windblown semifinals at Roland Garros. The second-seeded Russian needs a victory over 21st-seeded Sara Errani, a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 winner over No. 6 Samantha Stosur, to become the 10th woman to win all four major tournaments. “I always dreamed of being on the final stage here and I finally have that opportunity,” Sharapova said. “And I'm more than excited.” When she won match point on a second-serve ace, Sharapova raised her palms to the sky, looked up and smiled — one of the sport's biggest stars letting the fans and photographers share a special moment. Sharapova has long been the headliner at almost any tournament she enters, though this latest win will officially put her on the top line of the women's rankings when the new list comes out Monday. It's a perch that may have felt unreachable three years ago, when the Russian was recovering from shoulder surgery and dropped as low as 126th. Earlier, tactical guile and a whole lot of guts helped Errani upset the heavy-hitting sixth seed Stosur. She came into the match an overwhelming underdog having never beaten her opponent in five previous attempts, but left shedding tears of joy after masterminding a wonderful victory. The petite, yet nimble-footed, Italian had been expected to struggle with Stosur's high, kicking serve and heavy topspin groundstrokes, but contrived to out-think and outmanouver the Australian. “I have no words, it is incredible,” a weepy Errani, who collapsed on to her back in her moment of victory, told an on court interviewer. Stosur had fallen into the 21st seed's intelligently contrived plan to force her opponent out of her comfort zone and nullify her principle weapons. She stepped inside the baseline to take the Stosur serve early and looked to keep the Australian on the back foot with some deep, penetrating groundstrokes. “She is a smart player,” was Stosur's simple assessment after seeing everything she could throw at her opponent come back at with interest. Bhupathi, Sania bag mixed doubles crown India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza won the mixed doubles title Thursday, defeating Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico and Klaudia Jans-Ignacik of Poland 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 in the final. Bhupathi won the title on his 38th birthday. “Now I dont have to think of a gift to give him,” Sania said after their victory. Bhupathi, who is married to Indian actress and former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, dedicated the trophy to his four-month-old daughter Saira, his first child. “This one's for her and I'm really happy,” he said. It was the third time that Mirza and Bhupathi had reached a Grand Slam final together. They won the 2009 Australian Open after being runners-up at the same tournament in 2008.
