Ten years after, Maria Sharapova still shines

PARIS, June 7 (AFP): Maria Sharapova exploded onto the international scene 10 years ago as a 17-year-old with a spectacular straight sets demolition of Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final.

On Saturday at Roland Garros she hopes to end a decade of top tennis by defeating Simona Halep of Romania for her fifth Grand Slam title.

The odds are all in the Russian's favour.

The 27-year-old glamour girl is the biggest name in women's sport, a global icon, and the holder of four Grand Slam titles, the last coming in Paris two years ago when she became just the seventh woman in the Open era to complete a career sweep of the four major titles.

Halep, an unassuming 22-year-old from the Black Sea port city of Constanta, will be playing in her first Grand Slam final, having struggled, like many before her, to make the transition from junior to senior level.

Sharapova will tower over her opponent at 1.88 metres (6 feet 2 inches) compared to Halep's 1.68 metres (5 feet six inches).

But all the signs are there for one of the most intriguing French Open women's finals in years and, many hope, the first to go to three sets since Jennifer Capriati defeated Kim Clijsters 12-10 in the third in 2001.

Halep, who has broken into the top bracket of women's tennis in the last 18 months, has by far the most impressive figures of the two in this year's tournament.

She has reached the final without dropping a set, while Sharapova in her last three matches has had to go all the way after losing the first set.