Australia has not boasted a women's major winner since Evonne Goolagong Cawley collected her second Wimbledon title in 1980 and the nation’s last French Open singles title holder was Margaret Court in 1973. Stosur said knocking off four-time champion Justine Henin, 12-time major winner Serena Williams and Jankovic in a row had her primed for the final. "Yeah, I think beating the calibre of players I've played the last three rounds definitely helps me for Saturday’s match," she said. "I’ve beaten all those, so why can't I win one more? "Again, it is a final, so it’s different, but it definitely gives me huge confidence going into the next match, and hopefully for the rest of my career."

Jankovic made similar sentiments post-match to those of Williams about not being on her game. "I was not like myself," she said. "I don’t know who that was out there." I’ve beaten all those, so why can't I win one more? The fact is that once Stosur has got going in the past three rounds, the trio of past and present world No.1s have struggled to handle her firepower.

Schiavone, 29, progressed after 2004 French Open finalist Elena Dementieva retired with a calf injury from their semi-final after the Italian won the opening set in a tiebreak. The 29-year-old Italian had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a grand slam before this tournament despite playing at every major since the 2000 US Open. She kissed the clay on centre court in celebration for the second straight match. Asked what it tasted like, she said: "It was good. So good." Stosur has a great record against the European, including beating her in the final in Osaka last October where the Queenslander captured her maiden tour singles title.

The Australian has won her past four matches in straight sets against Schiavone, including twice on clay. There had been some concerns about tiredness creeping into Stosur’s game following two physically and emotionally draining three-set matches against Henin and Williams. But she breezed by Jankovic. Having defeated Schiavone in the opening round at Roland Garros last year, Stosur found some amusement in them meeting this year in the final. "I don’t actually remember much about that match. I know it was cold and wet,’’ she said.

Sam Stosur stands on the brink of becoming Australia’s first women’s grand slam title holder in three decades after cruising through to Saturday’s French Open final. Stosur slaughtered Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic 6-1 6-2 in an hour in Paris on Thursday. Overflowing with belief from seeing off four-time champion Justin Henin and 12-time major winner Serena Williams in the previous two rounds, Stosur dominated two-time semi-finalist Jankovic. Stosur will be the hottest of favourites against Francesca Schiavone in the title decider, the Australian having defeated the veteran in straight sets in their past four meetings, including two on clay. The Italian progressed in the earlier match on centre court after Russian Elena Dementieva retired from the match after losing the first set 7-6 (7-3) in 69 minutes.

Schiavone, 29, had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a grand slam before the tournament despite playing at every major since the 2000 US Open. Australia has not boasted a women’s major winner since Evonne Goolagong Cawley collected her second Wimbledon title in 1980 and no Australian has won a French Open singles crown since Margaret Court in 1973. There had been some concerns about tiredness creeping into Stosur’s game following two physically and emotionally draining three-set matches against Henin and Williams. And Jankovic enjoyed a 3-1 record with all their matches having been played on hardcourt. Stosur had won their last encounter in Miami earlier this year and walked on court the favourite on Thursday after capturing the scalps of Williams and Henin. And she played like one in her second straight semi-final at Roland Garros by grabbing an early break for a 3-1 lead and manhandling Jankovic’s serve.

After serving three faults in a row trying to serve out the set, the Queenslander wrapped it up in just 24 minutes, having won 16 of her 21 points on serve. Loading The former world No.1 pulled herself together and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set in the blink of an eye.But Stosur broke back and even though Jankovic had started working out the Australian’s serve, she could not hold her own against the Australian’s barrage from the back of the court. AAP