French Open Women's Final: Live Report

MARIA SHARAPOVA IS THE FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION FOR THE FIRST TIME.

The Russian second seed overpowered Italy's Sara Errani 6-3, 6-2 in Paris to become just the tenth woman to win all four Grand Slams.

The 25-year-old was already assured of regaining a world number ranking she last held in 2008 but Errani had little answer to the Russian's powerful groundstrokes.

I'm now now wrapping up this live text commentary -- read on to find out how all the action unfolded on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Goodbye and thanks for following - please join me at the same place tomorrow for what promises to be an epic men's final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

1505 GMT: Some clever (off-court) play from Sharapova this time as she thanks the crowd in French -- and to say the smile on her face is radiant would be an understatement as she cradles the Suzanne Lenglen trophy.

1458 GMT: Whoops - bit of a blooper from the stadium announcer!

"The runner-up ...Miss Maria Sharapova"

Errani thanks the crowd, all those who have organised the tournament and her mother and father who are seated in the crowd.

1453 GMT: The presentation party arrives - and we've got the dulcet tones of the Russian national anthem filling the air on Court Philippe Chatrier.

1442 GMT: GAME, SET AND MATCH SHARAPOVA - SHARAPOVA IS THE FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION!

Sharapova 6-3, 6-2 Errani

Both players raised the level with some scintillating tennis in that final game. Errani hit a couple of powerful forehands but the Russian responded by unleashing a sizzling pass down the line.

Errani had a break point but couldn't convert it and a powerful serve saw Sharapova to championship point - but Errani pulled off an audacious drop shot to save it.

Another ace from the Russian though and, after a long rally, she forced the error from Eranni who hit her backhand into the net.

Maria Sharapova has become the 10th women ever to complete a career Grand Slam - well done Maria!

1432 GMT: *Sharapova 6-3 5-2 Errani - Maybe I spoke too soon - some crunching returns from Sharapova earns here two break points and she takes the second with a pinpoint backhand.

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1429 GMT: Sharapova 6-3 4-2 *Errani - Errani pulls a break back! The Italian follows up a scorching forehand return winner with a backhand sizzler down the line to take the game. She's hanging on in there.

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1424 GMT: Sharapova* 6-3 4-1 Errani - Sharapova breaks again after several deuces. Some solid serving from Errani, touching 145km an hour, but Sharapova's powerful groundstrokes are superior. The Russian hits the advancing Errani at the net to seal her second break in this set.

Interesting that both players are products of Nick Bollitieri's famous tennis academy in Florida -- but this is the first time they've played each other at a tournament.

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1416 GMT: Sharapova 6-3 3-1 Errani* - Three unforced errors from Sharapova earns Errani a break point but some great depth on a topspin forehand forces Errani's lob to go long. A great get from the Russian after a cute dropshot from the Italian followed by more booming baseliners and the Sharapova holds.

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1406 GMT: Sharapova* 6-3 2-1 Errani - Errani gets on the board in this second set by holding serve. Some great defence from the Italian in that game, with Sharapova stretching her on both flanks..

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1401 GMT: Sharapova 6-3 2-0 Errani* - Sharapova holds to stretch her lead.

More from AFP's Dave James in Paris - he tells me the courtside corporate boxes on Philippe Chatrier are full unlike yesterday when Rafael Nadal played large parts of his semi-final win over David Ferrer in front of empty seats.

"That was a 1pm (local time) start unlike today where the women came on for 3pm. 'Timing probably wasn't the best. 1pm is probably not the best timing,' said Nadal. Even the great Spaniard can't separate a Frenchman from his lunch..."

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1354 GMT: *Sharapova 6-3 1-0 Errani - Oh dear. The Russian breaks again to get her nose ahead straight away in the second set. Dark clouds looming over Court Philippe Chatrier and possibly over Errani's chances.

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1350 GMT: GAME AND FIRST SET SHARAPOVA

Sharapova 6 *Errani 3 - Some great gets from the Italian in that game but Sharapova fires a pair of clinical forehand winners to take the first set in 36 minutes.

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1345 GMT: *Sharapova 5 Errani 3 - Errani saves two set points, the first after Sharapova dumps a forehand in the net, the second with a fine winner after dragging the Russian out wide. She holds after Sharapova sends another wide after a long rally. Some dogged baseline consistency from the Italian.

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1341 GMT: Sharapova 5 *Errani 2 - Sharapova holds to love after some solid serving. The 25-year-old Russian followed a forehand winner with an ominously clean backhand down the line to go to 40-0.

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1336 GMT: *Sharapova 4 Errani 2 - Errani holds serve for the first time after a couple of lengthy rallies.The Italian is finally finding some rhythm with her groundstrokes.

Stat update: Sharapova has hit six winners to Errani's one so far.

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1331 GMT: Sharapova 4 *Errani 1 - That's more like it - the world number 24 is on finally on the board. Some sloppiness from Sharapova with a double-fault there and signs here Italian oppnent is finding her range with a sizzling forehand winner.

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1328 GMT: *Sharapova 4 Errani 0 - Sharapova breaks again with a scorching forehand -- she'll have this set wrapped up in a jiffy at this rate. Some signs of feistiness from the Italian in that game with some yelps but the Russian is in imposing form.

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1325 GMT: More from Dave James in Paris: "In the VIP box at Roland Garros, former champions Martina Navratilova and Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario.

"Navratilova was asked what she thought of Errani: 'It takes a lot of 'hootspa', so to speak, to think you can compete with players that are a foot taller than you are, but she's doing it,'" the Czech said.

1322 GMT: Sharapova 3 *Errani 0 - ...and the Russian second seed holds to stretch her lead to 3-0 after just eight minutes. The Italian is showing signs of early tension with some unforced errors on her groundstrokes.

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1318 GMT: *Sharapova 2 Errani 0 - Firrst blood to Sharapova who breaks Errani's serve to 30. She earned to break points, taking the second after Errani hits a nervous backhand long..

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1315 GMT: Sharapova 1 *Errani 0 - Sharapova serves first and holds to 15, wrapping up a routine game with an ace.

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1313 GMT: There is a 15,000 capacity crowd on court to see who can claim the Suzanne Lenglen trophy....

1309 GMT: Sharapova towers over Errani as the two line up in the sunshine for a photo by the net -- Sharapova is 6ft 2 to the Italian's 5ft 5 which has to give her a huge natural advantage on serve.

1302 GMT: The two player's walk out onto the red clay of Court Philippe Chatrier, Errani first in bright pink followed by Sharapova dressed all in black.

1245 GMT: Maria Sharapova is playing her first final at Roland Garros and the 2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open champion will reclaim the world number one spot on Monday even is she loses today.

Errani is competing in her first ever Grand Slam single's final, though the 25-year-old from Bolgna already has three claycourt tournaments to her name this year.

She beat 10th seed Angelique Kerber in her quarter-final in Paris before upsetting US Open champion Sam Stosur in her semi-final.

A win would make the 21st seed just the second Italian woman to win the French Open title after Francesca Schiavone two years ago.

1230 GMT: My colleague Dave James who is at Roland Garros for AFP tells me there is sunshine and a stiff breeze for this afternoon's final.

"Walking to Roland Garros from Porte d'Auteuil metro, you are greeted by usual small army of ticket touts, fliers for Cirque du Soleil and an offer to get 10 euros off my next piece of tennis gear..."

WELCOME TO AFP'S LIVE REPORT on the women's final of the French Open in Paris which sees second-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova face 21st seed Sara Errani of Italy. The match is due to start on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros at 1300GMT -- stay with us for all the action as it unfolds.

The stakes could hardly be higher for Sharapova as she attempts to become only the tenth woman to complete a career Grand Slam.

Sharapova sealed her place in the final with a 6-3, 6-3 win over fourth seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, while world no. 24 Errani shocked Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 to claim her first ever Grand Slam final spot.

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