Paris: Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman in the Open era to reach a grand slam singles final on Thursday when Elena Dementieva retired after one set of their French Open semi-final clash.
Schiavone, 29, had just taken the first set on a tiebreak when a tearful Dementieva walked over to shake hands.
Looking stunned Schiavone went down on her knees and kissed the red clay on Court Philippe Chatrier before holding her hands aloft to the crowd.
Russian fifth seed Dementieva, who had been struggling with a left thigh injury earlier in the event, won the first two points of the tiebreak but then lost the next six.
She made one winning volley to save a set point but pulled down the peak of her sun shade and appeared to be crying when she hit a backhand long to give Schiavone the set.
"This is fantastic," Schiavone said on court. "I still don't know what going on but I've made history for Italy and myself and I'm going to enjoy the final."
Schiavone will take on either fourth seed Jelena Jankovic or Australian seventh seed Samantha Stosur on Saturday.
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