The Final Top Ten

1996 French Open Final

Steffi Graf def. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

6-3,6-7,10-8

PARIS -- Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario have played some memorable finals over the years. This one may
have topped them all.

Back and forth they went Saturday -- for three sets, three hours and three minutes, 40 games -- before Graf
prevailed 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 10-8 in the longest women's title match in French Open history.

It was Graf's fifth French championship, 19th Grand Slam tournament title and fourth win over Sanchez Vicario in a
Slam final.

Graf said Saturday's match rated even higher than her victory over the Spaniard in last year's Wimbledon final, a
three-set classic which included an epic 20-minute game of 32 points.

``This is probably the most spectacular one that we have had,'' Graf said. ``There have been a lot of them, not to
mention the one at Wimbledon, which was dramatic, but this time, it was even more incredible.''

Graf, the defending champion, squandered a 4-1 lead to lose the second-set tiebreaker and then fell behind 4-2 in
the final set, just one point away from 5-2. Sanchez Vicario twice served for the match, but Graf rallied and broke to
end the match in the 18th game.

When it was over, both players were in tears -- Graf as she spoke of her jailed father ``back home,'' and Sanchez
Vicario as she accepted the runner-up prize.

``It was an incredible feeling,'' Graf said of the near unanimous support she received from the center court crowd.
``When they were cheering, `Steffi! Steffi!' during the changeovers, that was pretty special. I just wanted to laugh, I
enjoyed it so much.''

It was the longest women's final at Roland Garros, both in duration and games. The 40 games surpassed the 38 of
the 1955 final, won by Angela Mortimer over Dorothy Knode 2-6, 7-5, 10-8.

Timewise, the match was five minutes longer than the 1989 final, when Sanchez Vicario beat Graf in 2:58.
Saturday's third set lasted 81 minutes.

In another milestone, Graf's 19th Grand Slam tournament title moved her past Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert
into a second-place tie with Helen Wills Moody on the all-time list -- five behind leader Margaret Smith Court.

``It is incredible, but I really can't focus on that record right now,'' said Graf. ``The match today overwhelms the
record right now.''

Four years ago, Graf played another marathon French Open final that also ended 10-8 in the third set. That time,
she lost the match to Monica Seles.

This time, she enjoyed one of the most emotional victories of her career.

Saturday's match was the 35th time Graf and Sanchez Vicario have met, including the 24th time in a final.

Graf dominated the first set in 37 minutes, but Sanchez Vicario fought back in typical fashion in the second set.
Scrambling all over the court, running down Graf's forehand drives, the Spaniard forced the set into a tiebreaker.

Graf raced ahead 4-1, just three points from closing out the match. Then it all fell apart for Graf as she dropped six
straight points, making five straight errors and double faulting on set point.

``In the tiebreaker, I was gone,'' Graf said. ``I was so nervous and couldn't keep the ball in play. At the beginning of
the third set, I felt pretty down because I knew I kind of let it slip away and it was difficult for me to motivate myself.''

Sanchez Vicario broke in the fifth game of the third set and saved a break point in the sixth to go up 4-2. Then, in
what proved to be the turning point, Graf saved two break points in the seventh game.

``If I would have been down 5-2, that would have been it,'' Graf said. ``I said to myself, `Come on get this one,
otherwise you can go home.' ''

She saved the first break point with a forehand that hit the line, and erased the second by moving in on a short ball
for a a forehand winner.

Sanchez Vicario served for the match at 5-4, but lost the first two points and was broken for 5-5. She broke for a 7-6
lead and served for the match again. This time, Graf broke her at love for 7-7.

The two went back and forth on serve until the 18th game. Sanchez was up 30-0, but Graf turned it around with a
perfect backhand drop shot, and broke to end the contest.