By Etienne Stekelenburg
February 14 2004

Mary Pierce from France defeats compatriot and upcoming youngster Tatiana Golovin. Kim Clijsters from Belgium defeats Russian Dinara Safina for the Sunday final of the Open Gaz de France. Pierce did beat Golovin in two sets 6-4, 6-0. Clijsters defeats Safina in an easy match 6-1, 6-1. Mary Pierce had to put up a real fight to overcome the fierce attacks of the promising 16-year old Tatiana Golovin. The youngster who was born in Moscow showed an all court tennisgame mixing up her shot. She produced solid aces and well placed returns to put up some resistance against her experienced countrywoman. The 29-year old Pierce is currently ranked at #37 and is looking fit as in her best days.

Golovin had the chance to break Pierce in the first set for a 4-2 lead but Pierce used her serve to keep the game to herself. In the 8th game of the first set Golovin had two chances to take a 5-3 lead but again Pierce showed her experience and saved the game with solid serving when it was needed and equaled the set 4 all.

Mary Pierce could converse her first breakpoint against Tatiana Golovin when the Moscow born French youngster hit a double fault. Pierce took a 5-4 lead and was serving for the match starting and ending the game with an ace for 6-4.

In the second set Golovin lost control and could not hold her serve once. Although Golovin still played very well Pierce always found a way to take the game away from her opponent. The 6-0 win in the second set didn’t come easy as the score suggests. Pierce took the important points and Golovin lost the match as a good fighter, 6-4, 6-0.

The second player to reach the final of the Open Gaz de France had to come from the match between Kim Clijsters of Belgium and the other upcoming youngster Dinara Safina from Russia.

This time Dinara Safina was outclassed and could not pull up the fight she showed earlier this week. The Belgium #2 of the WTA ranking Clijsters steps into the France final, winning the match
6-1, 6-1.