Strasbourg, France (Sports Network) - Former French Open champion Francesca
Schiavone of Italy will battle French crowd favorite Alize Cornet in
Saturday's championship match at the $220,000 Strasbourg International tennis
event, a final clay-court French Open tune-up.
The second-seeded 2010 French Open champ and 2011 Roland Garros runner-up
Schiavone handled promising American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-1 in an hour-and-
a-half, while the wild card Cornet came from behind to best fellow Frenchwoman
Pauline Parmentier 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 in 2 hours, 31 minutes at Strasbourg Tennis
Club.
The 31-year-old Schiavone is 4-10 in her career finals and seeking her
first title since becoming the first Italian woman to capture a Grand Slam
championship at the French Open two years ago.
The 22-year-old Nice native Cornet is 1-2 in her career finals, with all three
appearances coming in 2008. She titled in Budapest four years ago for her lone
WTA victory.
Schiavone is 7-1 lifetime against Cornet, including wins in their last six
meetings.
The 2012 Strasbourg champ will collect $37,000.
The Sports Network