First title on clay boosts Williams for French Open

Serena Williams won the Italian Open here yesterday, little more than a week before the year's next Grand Slam event begins.

But before looking ahead to the French Open's start on May 27 in Paris, the 20–year–old Williams had some unfinished business in the Italian capital. "I'm immediately going to have some gelato, it's my favorite thing in Italy," she said.

Williams beat Belgium's Justine Henin 7–6 (6), 6–4 for her third title of the year on an overcast day at the Foro Italico.

The match was a replay of last week's German Open Championship, won by Henin in a third–set tiebreaker. This time, the American won a first–set tiebreaker and closed out the match with two breaks in the second set.

"Today I got a few more first serves in," Williams said. "Berlin, I got maybe two, in total." The victory was Williams' first title on clay.

"A lot of people insist I'm not a clay–court player, although I am," Williams said. "So it makes me feel really good, especially going into Roland Garros."

It was Williams third time playing here, having advanced only to the quarterfinals in her two previous attempts.

"Rome is in my heart," she said in Italian to a round of applause from the crowd, before accepting the winner's check for $182,000.

Williams overcame a twisted ankle suffered in the first set, and overpowered her opponent the rest of the way. "Serena was too strong today," Henin said. "She was really aggressive and she didn't make a lot of mistakes. Today she was simply better than me."

Both players held serve throughout the first set. After missing out on three set points on Henin's serve at 5–4, Williams finally closed out the 1 hour, 10 minute set in the tiebreaker on her sixth set point.

The match began on time after a rainy start to the day. Both players could have used a delay to gain some more rest for their sore bodies.

Henin wore a bandage around her left thigh and the fourth–seeded Williams had her right thigh and both of her ankles wrapped up.

Henin, playing this event for the first time, defeated fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters in straight sets in Saturday's first semifinal, while Williams needed more than two hours to get past second–seeded Jennifer Capriati, winning the third set 7–5.

"I'm too young to be tired," Williams said of the quick turnaround after such a tough match. "The adrenaline of being in the final again and being so close last week, it didn't bother me at all."

Her ankle twist was "identical" to the injury that made her miss the Australian Open, Williams said. "It was a good twist. It's going to be really sore tomorrow."

Williams won titles earlier this year in Scottsdale, Arizona and Miami. Her latest victory gave her a career–high ranking of No. 3.

She now trails only her sister, Venus Williams, and Capriati at the top of the rankings. Capriati gained back the No. 1 spot this week when Venus Williams withdrew with a wrist injury and she reached the semifinals.

The fifth–seeded Henin had not lost a set in her four previous matches here. She moved up to No 5 in the rankings to be released next week and received the runner–up check for $92,000.

Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez won the doubles event, beating Conchita Martinez and Patricia Tarabini 6–3, 6–4.