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Sixth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia picked up his first
career Grand Slam title by defeating number 15 Michael Stich of
Germany, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) in 2 1/2 hours today in for
the French Open Tennis Championship in Paris. 

Kafelnikov, who teamed with Daniel Vacek to win the doubles
title on Saturday, became the first man to win the singles and
doubles titles at a Grand Slam event since Stefan Edberg
accomplished the feat at the Australian Open in 1987. 

In addition, Kafelnikov, the first Russian to win a Grand Slam
singles title, is the first player to win both the singles and
the doubles at Roland Garros since Ken Rosewall in 1968. 

"Today is, no question, the most glorious day of my life," said
Kafelnikov, who picked up $700,000 for the victory.  "Winning
the first Grand Slam of my professional career means something
to me. I tried to stay focused and fight to the very last point.
When I got that point it was the most wonderful moment of my
life. I know how many supporters I have in Russia and now I'm
going to bring the trophy home." 

Stich squandered a 5-2 lead in the second set, after breaking
Kafelnikov in the first and seventh games.  He served twice for
the set at 5-2 and 5-4, but was broken each time.  Stich had set
point in the ninth game, which Kafelnikov saved and eventually
won to draw even at 5-all. 

After Kafelnikov held to take a 6-5 lead, Stich saved one of two
set points, but hit a volley return wide to give Kafelnikov the
break and the set. 

Both players held serve in the first set, but struggled to
maintain it.  In the third game, Stich saved four break points
to hold at 2-1, and the eighth game went to six deuces with
Kafelnikov saving three break points before holding to go to
4-all. 

Stich faced two break points in the 11th game, but served two
aces to go to deuce and held for a 6-5 lead. Kafelnikov then
held serve to force the tiebreaker. 

Kafelnikov took 3-0 and 6-2 leads in the tiebreaker.  After
Stich saved two set points, he sliced a backhand return into the
net to give Kafelnikov the set, and hand Stich his first loss in
a tiebreaker this year. 

Stich broke Kafelnikov to take a 2-1 lead in the third set. Both
players held serve until the eighth game, when Kafelnikov broke
back to go to 4-all after Stich smashed a forehand return into
the net.  Kafelnikov held to take the lead. 

In the tenth game, Stich faced match point at 30-40 but saved
for deuce. Stich then double-faulted for Kafelnikov's second
match point, before saving again to go back to deuce.  Stich
then held to pull even at 5-all. Kafelnikov faced a break point,
but held to take a 6-5 lead. Stich then held to force the
tiebreaker. 

Kafelnikov took a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker after Stich knocked
a forehand return into the net. Stich captured the next three
points, but Kafelnikov won the next two to go up 6-3.  Stich
saved his third match point before Kafelnikov made a forehand
return that Stich volleyed into the net. 

"You know, it was wonderful," said Kafelnikov. "It was a
wondeful feeling winning on the fourth match point, because I
remember I had two match points at 5-4 and I couldn't serve it. 
I remember I felt so bad.  I felt like maybe I would never have
a chance to win it, but I was very pleased that I won it." 

Stich served 15 aces, but committed 56 unforced errors, while
Kafelnikov had 10 aces and overcame 44 unforced errors and eight
double-faults. 

Kafelnikov and Vacek, from the Czech Republic, downed Guy Forget
of France and Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland, 6-2, 6-3 Saturday for
the men's doubles final. 

Kafelnikov prevented American Pete Sampras from winning the only
Grand Slam championship that has eluded him, shocking the men's
top seed, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0, 6-2 Friday, while Stich rolled past
number 14 Marc Rosset of Switzerland, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, in just 95
minutes. 

Kafelnikov has now won three titles in five appearances in
finals this year. He captured tournaments at Adelaide and
Prague, but was upset in front of his home crowd at St.
Petersburg and also lost at Rotterdam. 

Kafelnikov, voted the Most Improved Player on the ATP Tour in
1994, reached the semifinals by ousting 13th seed Richard
Krajicek in four sets. 

Kafelnikov struggled early in the claycourt season losing in the
early rounds in three straight tournaments. 

The 22-year-old Russian now has ten career titles and last year
became the first player since Emilio Sanchez of Spain in 1990 to
finish the year ranked in the top 10 in both singles and
doubles. 

The 27-year-old Stich, who lost to Courier in four sets in the
1991 semis, was looking for his second Grand Slam title, having
won Wimbledon in 1991.  He appeared in one other Grand Slam
final, losing to Andre Agassi at the 1994 U.S. Open. 

"It just came down to me not serving well, and that gave him the
chance to dictate the match," said Stich, who committed six
doublefaults.  "I played two very poor tiebreakers, obviously,
and gave him the chance to go up in the tiebreakers.  Those were
the key moments.  I had chances in all three sets and blew them
all.  Once you get to the finals and lose there's no excuse for
anything.  There's nothing for the runner-up." 

Kafelnikov has won seven of ten career meetings against Stich,
including four of five on clay. Stich downed Kafelnikov in
straight sets in last year's Davis Cup semifinals. This was
their second meeting in a Grand Slam, with Stich coming out on
top in straight sets in the fourth round of the 1994 U.S. Open. 

In the women's doubles final, the fourth-seeded team of
Americans Lindsay Davenport and Mary Joe Fernandez ended the
four-year run of second-seeded Gigi Fernandez and Natasha
Zvereva, winning 6-2, 6-1.