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.

Leading 6-1 2-0, the women’s champion was cruelly denied the satisfaction of a complete victory when Henin-Hardenne was forced to withdraw due to illness.

However, the third seed was just after a grand slam title, regardless of how it came. “I’ve been waiting so long for this and really worked hard for this, as well. It’s a really great achievement,” she said.

“I now have achieved everything I wanted in my career; Fed Cup, being number one and winning a grand slam. So I’m very proud of that, I have to say. I’m probably the proudest woman for now.”

The year’s first major tournament promised to be another close affair with the top seed Lindsay Davenport entering as the favourite.

However, the American struggled throughout with a swollen ankle and was beaten in the quarter-finals by an in-form Henin-Hardenne.

Defending champion Serena Williams came in under a fitness cloud and after her sister Venus was stunned in the first round by Tszvetana Pironkova, it was not long before Serena bowed out - beaten by Slovakian starlet Daniela Hantuchova.

Another former champion, Mary Pierce was sent packing by Czech Iveta Benesova in the second round.

Comeback queen Martina Hingis, returning to grand slam tennis for the first time since 2002, breezed her way into the quarter-finals, only to be stopped by second seed Kim Clijsters, who then fell to an ankle injury in her semi-final against Mauresmo.

Maria Sharapova was another player who was far from at her best and the Russian fourth seed was overcome by Henin-Hardenne in the semi-finals.

Her serve tapered off as the tournament progressed and while the effort was always there, she lacked the finishing touches which saw her claim Wimbledon in 2004.

While her opponents were fighting for form and fitness, Mauresmo always looked in the best shape of any of the leading contenders.

The third seed dropped just one set in her run to the semi-finals, seeing off Tian Tian Sun, Emilie Loit, Michaella Krajicek, Nicole Vaidisova and Patty Schnyder.

The ease of the victory over Schnyder, seeded seventh, was the first major sign that Australian Open 2006 could be her big breakthrough.