PARIS -- Nothing came easily for Maria Sharapova in the French Open final. Wei-Yin Chen Jersey . Serves hit by her surgically repaired shoulder often missed the mark, resulting in 12 double-faults. Shots that would be winners against most opponents were retrieved by Simona Halep and sent right back. Leads that usually hold up vanished in a blink. On a muggy afternoon, with the temperature in the high 70s (20s Celsius), points were lung-searing struggles. Sharapova was up to the task. In an entertaining and undulating championship match -- the first womens final at Roland Garros in 13 years to go three sets -- Sharapova showed that shes as tough as they come, particularly on the red clay that used to flummox her. She edged Halep 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 Saturday to win a second French Open title in three years. "This is the toughest Grand Slam final Ive ever played," Sharapova said. It is her fifth major trophy in all. Remarkably, Sharapova owns twice as many from Paris as the one each she won at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006, and the Australian Open in 2008. "If somebody had told me ... at some stage in my career, that Id have more Roland Garros titles than any other Grand Slam, Id probably go get drunk," Sharapova said with a chuckle. "Or tell them to get drunk. One or the other." The 3-hour, 2-minute tangle featured too many momentum swings to count, filled with lengthy baseline exchanges, and terrific defence and shotmaking by both women. Not bad for someone who once famously described herself as feeling like a "cow on ice" when it came to playing on clay, a slow, demanding surface that requires excellent footwork. Now Sharapova knows how to move on clay, and can stretch points when needed. Since the start of 2012, Sharapova is 54-4 with seven titles on clay. Shes also won 20 consecutive clay three-setters, including four in a row this week. "It says that shes very fit. It says that shes very determined," said Sven Groenefeld, Sharapovas coach. "And it says that she never gives up." Sharapova broke into a huge smile while hoisting the trophy overhead, then shaking it with both hands and scanning a stadium that, improbably, has become hers. This was her third final in a row in Paris: She won the 2012 title to complete a career Grand Slam, then lost last year to Serena Williams, who bowed out in the second round this time. Sharapova is 20-1 the last three years at Roland Garros -- which is nothing compared to Rafael Nadals 65-1 career French Open mark heading into Sundays final Sunday against Novak Djokovic, but certainly quite impressive. "Youre not just born being a natural clay-court player. OK, maybe if youre Nadal. But certainly not me," Sharapova said. "I didnt grow up on it; didnt play on it. I just took it upon myself to make myself better on it." Plus, Sharapova had an operation on her right shoulder, the one she uses to swing her racket, in October 2008. That joint troubled the Russian again in 2013, when she played one match from July to December. She now travels with a physiotherapist, Jerome Bianchi, and told him during the post-match ceremony, "Thank you for keeping me healthy." This was the ninth Grand Slam final for the No. 7-seeded Sharapova, and the first for Halep, a 22-year-old Romanian seeded fourth. Supported by a dozen folks in her guest box wearing red T-shirts saying "Allez Simona," and fans that chanted her first name, Halep acquitted herself well, showing off the scrambling baseline style that carried her to six straight-set wins until Saturday. "I will not forget this match," said Halep, who wiped away tears afterward. Each time it appeared Sharapova was ready to pull away, she was forced to do extra work. At 4-3 in the second set, Sharapova held two break points, but Halep saved both with gutsy groundstrokes. In the tiebreaker, Sharapova got within two points of victory at 5-3, but Halep took the next four to claim the set. Thats when Sharapova left for the locker room, taking an 8-minute break during which she changed out of her sweat-soaked outfit -- and let Halep stew for a bit. Sharapova went ahead 4-2, but Halep broke back to 4-all. It turned out that was her last stand, though. Sharapova wouldnt lose another point, gritting her teeth and shaking her fists after breaking at love for 5-4 with a backhand winner, then holding at love by forcing a backhand error from Halep on match point. When it ended, Sharapova dropped to her knees, caking her shins with clay, and folded her body forward, burying her face in her hands. "I had good tactics today. I opened the angles. Also, I was hitting the ball strong," Halep said. But Sharapova, Halep continued, "was moving really well." Cow on ice? More like Queen of Clay. Andre Dawson Jersey ." The tournament was set to be held Sept. 15-21 and would have been the first ATP tournament held in Israel since 1996. But amid Israels military campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, ATP President Chris Kermode said "we do not feel we can proceed as planned given the situation in the region. Cameron Maybin Jersey . The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett. As expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to start Sundays game and optioned backup catcher J. http://www.marlinsteamproshop.com/Marlins-Lewis-Brinson-Kids-Jersey/ .Inter Milan and Napoli also advanced to ensure there will be at least three Italian clubs in the last 32 of Europes secondary competition.Spurs victory, secured by Benjamin Stamboulis 49th-minute winner, was overshadowed by a succession of pitch invasions that forced the referee to halt the game after 41 minutes.Nick Dougherty describes how to tackle one of the most famous golf courses in the world - Augusta National. Hole 1, Tea Olive, 455yds, Par 4:No easy opening hole, with a 300-yard carry needed to fly a big bunker on the right, while anything left catches the trees. Uphill, and plays its yardage.Hole 2, Pink Dogwood, 575yds, Par 5:The first obvious chance to get under the card - reachable in two, and only problems are the well-placed greenside bunkers.Hole 3, Flowering Peach 350yds, Par 4:Classic short par four, where the majority of players will take an iron off the tee, aiming to avoid fairway traps to leave a full wedge into a tricky green.Hole 4, Flowering Crab Apple, 240yds, Par 3:Long iron or hybrid needed to find a two-tier green guarded by two bunkers. The green is narrow and tough to hold.Hole 5, Magnolia, 455yds, Par 4:Tough, uphill dog-leg with two well-positioned bunkers to the left to catch errant drives. The green slopes a lot from front to back, with sand to the rear.Hole 6, Juniper, 180yds, Par 3:Something of a respite, this requires just a mid-iron from an elevated tee to a large, but severely undulating, target.Hole 7, Pampas, 450yds, Par 4:Used to be a real birdie chance until 35-40 yards were added as well as trees by the fairway. Now a driver and a mid-iron to a tough, well-bunkered green.Hole 8, Yellow Jasmine, 570yds, Par 5:Big, accurate drive needed to avoid huge fairway bunkers, this green is only accessible in two to the biggest of hitters.Hole 9, Carolina Cherry, 460yds, Par 4:One of the toughest greens in golf, sloping hugely from front to back. Any approach not hit bravely will roll back down the fairway, leaving a tough third.Hole 10, Camellia, 495yds, Par 4:Downhill, but this is one of the toughest greens to hit. Right-to-left drive required to avoid a treacherous long-iron approach.Hole 11, White Dogwood, 505yds, Par 4:First leg of Amen Corner, and usually the toughest holee. Jose Fernandez Jersey. Long dog-leg left, trees on the right and a large pond guarding the green. Take your par and run!Hole 12, Golden Bell, 155yds, Par 3:The most famous par three in golf. Narrow green, water in front, bunkers at the back and nearly always a swirling wind. Hole 13, Azalea, 510yds, Par 5:Dog-leg left, reachable in two, but Raes Creek runs down the left and then in front of the green. A great risk-reward hole featuring eagles ... and sevens!Hole 14, Chinese Fir, 440yds, Par 4:The only hole with no bunkers, but the defence is one of the most testing greens. Three putts are common-place here.Hole 15, Firethorn, 530yds, Par 5:Great risk-reward par five that is reachable in two for most. Water guards the front, while anything over the green in two leaves a treacherous chip back. Hole 16, Redbud, 170yds, Par 3:Mid-iron over water required, with a green which slopes dramatically from right to left. Scary last-day pin placement.Hole 17, Nandina, 440yds, Par 4:The Eisenhower Tree in the centre of the fairway was taken down last year, making the drive much easier. The green is tough to hit and hold, and there is no easy putt.Hole 18, Holly, 465yds, Par 4:All uphill, the drive through an avenue of trees must avoid two fairway bunkers. A two-tiered green sets up a thrilling finale.Watch all four days of the Masters live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. 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