History

Year Winner Finalist Score
2010 Elena Dementieva (RUS) Lucis Safarova (RTC) 6-7, 6-1, 6-4
2009 Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 7-6, 2-6, 6-4
2008 Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) Agnes Szavay (HON) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
2007 Nadia Petrova (RUS) Lucie Safarova (RTC) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
2006 Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) Mary Pierce (FRA) 6-1, 7-6
2005 Dinara Safina (RUS) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
2004 Kim Clijsters (BEL) Mary Pierce (FRA) 6-2, 6-1
2003 Serena Williams (USA) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) 6-3, 6-2
2002 Venus Williams (USA) Jelena Dokic (YOU) forfait
2001 Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) Anke Huber (ALL) 7-6, 6-1
2000 Natalie Tauziat (FRA) Serena Williams (USA) 7-5, 6-2
1999 Serena Williams (USA) Amélie Mauresmo (FRA) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
1998 Mary Pierce (FRA) Dominique Van Roost (BEL) 6-3, 7-5
1997 Martina Hingis (SUI) Anke Huber (ALL) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
1996 Julie Halard-Decugis (FRA) Iva Majoli (CRO) 7-5, 7-6
1995 Steffi Graf (ALL) Mary Pierce (FRA) 6-2, 6-2
1994 Martina Navratilova (USA) Julie Halard (FRA) 6-2, 6-2
1993 Martina Navratilova (USA) Monica Seles (USA) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6



Previous editions

2009: Three rounds of applause for Amélie
When it happened, she fell to her knees on the court and turned towards her clan shouting “I don’t believe it!” But her dream had definitely come true. On the 15th February 2009, Amélie Mauresmo became the first player to win the OPEN GDF SUEZ tournament three times. She was overcome with emotion by this success because she had come such a long way. It put an end to two years of purgatory and doubts. Two years of yearning for a great game and confidence. Then all of a sudden, just like magic, Amélie Mauresmo got all her potential back as she stepped into Coubertin. She played perfectly in the first two stages before launching into a triptych gala. Agnieszka Radwanska (no. 10), Jelena Jankovic (no. 3) and Elena Dementieva (no. 4) who was dominated in the final at the end of a fantastic duel (7/6, 2/6, 6/4), all had to surrender to the French lady, who was carried away by the crowd’s cheers. It will remain an unforgettable memory for all those who were privileged to be present that day in Paris. This OPEN GDF SUEZ will go down in history as the last tournament that Amélie Mauresmo won. She didn’t know it at the time but had always hoped to finish up “at home”. It’s more or less what happened finally and it was in no way premediated.

2008: Chakvetadze slays Frenchwomen
Seven players from the top 20 were in action at the 2008 Open Gaz de France. The tournament saw few surprises with number 1 seed Anna Chakvetadze taking the sixteenth Open Gaz de France at Coubertin arena. The Russian took out three Frenchwomen back to back – Nathalie Dechy, Amélie Mauresmo, and Marion Bartoli – before defeating Agnès Szavay (6-3, 2-6, 6-2) in the final. At only 20 years old, the young Hungarian was the revelation of the tournament. After defeating Olga Govortsova and Tathiana Garbien, the number 7 seed upset Daniela Hantuchova and then Elena Dementieva. The Bondarenko sisters lifted the doubles trophy. The Ukranian duo Alona and Kateryna defeated Czech pair Eva Hrdinova and Vladimira Uhlirova (6-1, 6-4) in the title match.

2007: Petrova’s first French title
Great tennis and surprises were the theme of the 2007 Open Gaz de France. After an impressive run, Lucie Safarova (ranked 32nd) had the tough task of facing number 4 seed and world no. 7 Nadia Petrova. Despite her lower ranking, the young Czech player started impressively to take a commanding 6/4, 1-0 lead. But that was before the Russian found her best tennis to come through in three sets 4/6, 6/1, 6/4. The 20 year-old Safarova came close, however, to staging a remarkable comeback. Down 5/1 in the third set, she staved off three match points and even had three points to level at 5 all. But the 24 year-old Russian stepped it up and held serve to take her 7th career title and the first in France.

2006: An all French final
After falling to Marat Safin’s little sister in last year’s final, Amélie Mauresmo had to overcome Dinara Safina in this year’s quarterfinals. This highly anticipated match between two rivals proved to be less than expected as the Frenchwoman posted a decisive 6-2, 6-2 win. French fans showed little restraint in voicing their excitement for the final. As the curtain prepared to fall on the 14th edition of the most important women’s tournament in France, spectators were revved up for an historic final between the two top ranked Frenchwomen: Amélie Mauresmo (seeded 1) and Mary Pierce (2). This rematch of the 2005 Masters final swung in favor of “Amé” who took the title in two sets 6-1, 7-6.

2005 : Dinara Safina in the finalists
The winner of the Gaz de France Open in 2001 and twice a finalist, Amélie Mauresmo, seeded no. 2 of thirteen, was the firm favourite. Nor did the Frenchwoman disappoint, she played very well but fell in the last round after doing battle against her young compatriot Tatiana Golovin. When matched against the Russian Dinara Safina in the final, luck ran out for Loïc Courteau’s protégée, and she was unable to make it the two wins she had so hoped for . Marat Safin’s little sisterm, benefiting from the withdrawal of the American Serena Williams, came to Paris to compete for the second time in her career and carried the title away with her after three strongly fought sets (6-4, 2-6, 6-3).

2004 : Clijsters's master stroke
For her first participation in the Open Gaz de France, Kim Clijsters did a master stroke. After being defeated by her fellow Justine Henin-Hardenne at the Australian Open, Clijsters was happy to come back to Europe and Paris. She only met difficulties in the quarter finals against Silvia Farina Elia. Besides, the Belgian player, the World n°2 played all the week majestically and especially during the final against Mary Pierce. Even though the French player was in a really good shape, Clijsters defeated her easily: 6-2, 6-1. The event was also highlighted by Tatiana Golovin reaching the semi-finals. She was only 16 and her rise to the high-level really began in February 2004. Because of injuries, Amélie Mauresmo and Serena Williams withdrew before the beginning of the tournament.

2003 : Serena’s show
Just after her fifth Grand slam title won in Australia, four times in a row, Serena Williams dominated the tournament. She was brilliant and she did not concede one set to her opponents. For the second time, she won the Open Gaz de France title defeating easily Amélie Mauresmo 6-3 6-2. Nevertheless, the French player marked the tournament thanks to a good come back, three months after her latest match. She made a good impression defeating good players such Japanese player Ai Sugiyama, Spanish player Magui Serna and especially Russian player Elena Dementieva, 6-0 6-0 in the semi-finals. Nathalie Dechy, defeated by Ai Sugiyama, was out at the first round, just like Marion Bartoli, who had a wild card. Emilie Loit (who defeated Virginie Razzano at the first round), Stéphanie Foretz and Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro (who won over Anna Pistolesi, WTA ranked 16) were out at the second round.

2002 : After Serena comes Venus !
Three years after Serena, Venus Williams won the Open Gaz de France and it was her first participation. This tenth anniversary will remained in all memories. Everybody will remember: the wonderful semi-finals between The American player and Amélie Mauresmo, who was at two points from the win, the devastating charm of Jelena Dokic, the moving come back of Monica Seles, the tears of Nathalie Dechy after unfinished symphony against Justine Henin. All these moments make this French tournament a meeting that you cannot miss.

2001 : Amélie’s odyssey
Amélie Mauresmo savored her success, she was so moved she could not contain her tears. Her win at the Open Gaz de France was her third title of her career, but the first one she won in France. During that year, she would win three other titles, but the Open Gaz de France would remain special for her forever. There was a perfect osmosis between the French public and the French player. The show was without a sour note, well … almost. Indeed, to do as well as Nathalie Tauziat the year before, Amélie Mauresmo had to reverse the situation. It was not the case in finals, as she defeated quite easily (7-6 6-1) Anke Huber, who had already failed in the finals against Martina Hingis in 1997. But earlier, in the other rounds, she was often in bad situations. In the second round, Spanish player Magüi Serna was leading Amélie Mauresmo 4-2 in the last set. It was the same story in the quarter-finals: Anna Kournikova was in the lead 6-2 3-0, before Amélie came back like a tornado. At the end of this wonderful week, Alexia Dechaume-Balleret, Amélie’s coach confided: “Coubertin was a kind of trigger for Amélie, she has become more mature and she passed a major turning point. Now, she has all the keys to have a high level play.” The tournament was marked by the farewell of Nathalie Tauziat, who finished her career with a flourish, and the win of Virginie Razzano in doubles with Iva Majoli. These young French players are the future of French tennis.

2000 : Nathalie conquered Coubertin
Nathalie Tauziat is the winner of the eighth edition. It was the third time that the title was won by A French player. But it was the first time for Nathalie Tauziat who did very well against the title holder and WTA number 4: Serena Williams. On her way to the finals, the American player never let a single set to her opponents. Having a bad knee in the second set of the finals, Serena gave the opportunity to the French player to win the match after playing 1h33 (7-5 6-2). This win allows Nathalie to reach WTA rank 5.

1999 : Duel at the top
The seventh edition of the Open Gaz de France is marked by a duel at the top between two prodigies of the new generation. After reaching the finals at the Australian Open, Amélie Mauresmo (20) is defeated by American player Serena Williams (17) under the eyes of her supporters. The youngest William sister won her first title on the WTA circuit and it was the beginning of a wonderful advancement.

1998 : Mary imitates Julie
Just like her fellow Julie Halard-Decugis, who reached the finals in 1994 and won in 1996, Mary Pierce won four years after her finals against Steffi Graf, who was not there to prevent Mary from a success that time. On the other side of the court, there was Dominique Van Roost, Belgian number 1, who cannot resist and gave the win to French player (6-3 7-5). Mary inflamed Paris.

1997 : Here comes another Martina
Après Navratilova, une autre Martina s'illustre à Paris. La troisième tentative de Martina Hingis est la bonne. La joueuse suisse inscrit enfin son nom au palmarès et elle fait même un coup double en s'imposant en simple comme en double (avec Jana Novotna). La jeune reine du tennis féminin est imbattable en ce début d'année 1997 et ce n'est pas Anke Huber, pourtant victorieuse de la deuxième manche, qui pourra empêcher son premier sacre (6-3, 3-6, 6-3).

1996 : Julie’s consecration
Two years after her defeat in finals, Julie Halard-Decugis won the title that time. She became the first French player to win the Open Gaz de France title defeating Croatian player Iva Majoli (7-5, 7-6). “It is my fifth WTA title and it is also one of the best moments of my career” she said.

1995 : Graf, a legend won
After Navratilova, the French title is won by another player belonging to the hall of fame players: Steffi Graf. After being injured and away from the court for five months, the German player made a kill shot and defeated Mary Pierce, WTA ranked 3, and Australian open finalist (6-2 6-2). The surprise of that edition was Martina Hingis who reached the quarter-finals at the age of 14.

1994 : Navratilova, one again but … in Coubertin
The Open Gaz de France moved from the Zénith to the Pierre de Coubertin stadium but the final result is the same as the year before. Martina Navratilova won the title, two times in a row. It was her 167th and last win on the pro circuit in singles. Julie Halard (ranked 31) failed, but she was very close to the success. It will be for later ….

1993 : Navratilova starts well!
The first edition of the Open Gaz de France, played in the Zénith in Paris, was marked by a very close match in the finals. American player Martina Navratilova (36), holder of 18 Grand Slam titles, defeated Monica Seles (18), yet number 1.