WTA Tour Championship Finals set

The Revenge of the Gauls! In Saturday's matches at the WTA Tour Championship, the Frenchwomen Amèlie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce were both victorious. In the day's first match, Miss Mary Pierce defeated World #1 Lindsay Davenport in two tight, close sets 7-6(5), 7-6(6). After that thrilling match, which I saw from the 4th row of the section closest to the net. Maria Sharapova and Amèlie Mauresmo took to the court. I'm sure most of the fans in attendance expected a blow-out straight-set victory by the defending champion, and Sharapova did not disappoint, sprinting to a 5-2 lead in the first set. Then something unexpected happened. Suddenly, Mauresmo started matching Sharapova's powerful shots, stroke for stroke. Mauresmo's hard serve started going in and she held to go to 3-5 and then broke Sharapova to put the set back on serve in a hard fought game which featured some aggressive shotmaking from both players. Both players held their serve to reach the tiebreak. Sharapova won the first point of the tie break with a service winner and then lost the next seven points of the tiebreak, double faulting on set point. In the second set Mauresmo rushed to a 5-1 lead as Sharapova's shots visibly lost power, depth and velocity. Then it was time for Sharapova's comeback. As Mauresmo attempted to serve out the match at 5-1, Sharapova broke her serve easily and then held. At 5-3, Mauresmo started badly with 0-30 but then was able to win the next three points to reach match point. On her second match point, the Frenchwoman was able to close out the match and set up an all-French final. For Mauresmo fans (like myself), the result was a hopeful preview of 2006. Others disagree, and believe the Pierce-Davenport match was more interesting and important.