PARIS – Heartbroken Dinara Safina insisted on Saturday she will learn from suffering a third Grand Slam final defeat.
The Russian top seed slumped to a 6-4, 6-2 French Open loss to compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova to follow straight set losses to Serena Williama in the Australian Open final this year and against Ana Ivanovic here in 2008.
‘I put too much pressure on myself because I wanted to win. I just couldn’t handle it,’ said the 23-year-old, who had won 20 of her last 21 matches, all on clay, before Saturday’s final.
‘I was desperate on the court. I didn’t do the things that I had to. I didn’t stay tough mentally.
‘I feel like I beat myself. I’ll have to learn just to play my game and relax.’
Safina had already been under pressure to prove that she could back up her world number one spot with a first Grand Slam title, but she was below par all afternoon on a chilly and damp Court Philippe Chatrier. – Nampa-AFP
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