n. nerves of steel. see "Safina"

We saw it in Berlin two weeks ago, we saw it in the French Open round of 16 two years ago, and we saw it today: Dinara Safina appeared to be losing a very close match, and then she figured out a way to survive and ultimately win. The Russian with the weak mentality is now the Russian who can tough it out with the best of them, and--in terms of mental toughness--she was with the best of them today in Paris.

Safina held atwo set points in the first set tiebreak she played against Maria Sharapova. Sharapova saved those points and went on to win the tiebreak and the set. She also went to 5-2 in the second set. It looked like it was over for Safina, but she steadied herself and held for 3-5. And when Sharapova served for the match, Safina was all over it, saving a match point, breaking Sharapova's serve, and--like the Incredible Hulk--emerging much larger and fiercer. "You won't like me when I'm angry" turned into "You won't like me when I'm confident": Safina carried the set to a another tiebreak, which she won, as I expected her to.

The third set was all about Safina. Playing more aggressively, she took control, showing weakness only when she was required to move quickly. Sharapova, who does not slide on clay, had even more trouble with movement. Safina broke her at 2-3, and her confidence visibly grew as Sharapova's visibly shrank. She broke Sharapova's serve again to win the match.

Both women double-faulted a lot, but Safina had good service stats, nonetheless. She was also more successful than Sharapova at the net. I have always enjoyed watching Safina, but now, I am loving watching this newly confident Safina with the killer serve and the doubles-honed fine hands.

Two years ago, these two players met on the same court, in the same round, and Safina came from 1-5 in the third set to win the match. Memory, for sure, cast a shadow on the clay today.

Safina def. Sharapova, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2