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Dinara Safina could not be in better shape as she heads into tomorrow's French Open Final against fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova looking to end her wait for an elusive grand-slam title.
Safina, the world No1, lost to Ana Ivanovic in last year's final at Roland Garros and then to Serena Williams in the Australian Open showpiece this year. But she will start as favourite to finally clinch a major when she takes on seventh seed Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion and runner-up in Paris in 2006.
Safina believes the circumstances this year are completely different to 12 months ago.
"I wouldn't say that I was nervous last year - I just think I was tired overall because I had such a tough draw and I had to pull out of so many matches," said the 23-year-old, who as 13th seed lost 6-4, 6-3 to Ivanovic.
"This year I've spent much less time on the court so I'm much fresher. I hope this time I will do it."
In 2008, Safina had tough three-set battles against then-world No1 Maria Sharapova in the last-16 and Elena Dementieva in the quarter-finals before beating Kuznetsova to seal her place in the final.
This year has been a different story. She dropped just five games in her first four matches and was an easy 6-3, 6-3 winner over Dominika Cibulkova in the semi-finals. Her only difficult match came in the last eight, when she needed three sets to get past ninth seed Victoria Azarenka.
Winning the title will silence the critics who say Safina does not deserve her ranking given that she has never been a grand slam champion.
However, she does not believe she has anything to prove.
"Since I became No1 in the world in April, I've been playing in finals and winning titles so how much more proof do I need to give people that I deserve that spot?" she said.
Meanwhile, French tennis star Richard Gasquet has denied ever taking cocaine and is vowing to clear his name. The 22-year-old was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Federation last month after testing positive for the drug at a tournament in Miami in March.
If Gasquet fails to clear his name, he could be handed a two-year ban. But he said in L'Equipe: "I have never, ever, ever taken cocaine in my life.
"I understand the suspicion but I will repeat as many times as is necessary: I have never taken this stuff.
"On the circuit, no one takes it. When I have to take an aspirin, I call the doctor 10 times to be sure I can."
He added: "I would like to be on court and not with the lawyers but there is no choice. It will take as long as it has to and I will fight until the end."
Gasquet has struggled to cope with the attention since news of his positive test emerged. He said: "It felt like I was in a film. It was hard to live through."
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