Mauresmo is last woman standing

GRAND slams are often about the survival of the fittest - and there was little doubt at the end of a gruelling two weeks that Amelie Mauresmo was just that.

The Frenchwoman stood tall through the hottest two weeks of one of the warmest Melbourne summers on record to capture her first-ever major title, although only having to complete four of her seven matches helped.

Mauresmo did everything but win on match point as she carried out a demolition job on Justine Henin-Hardenne in the final.