Mauresmo battling back into form

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS -- After struggling through a pair of injury-plagued seasons, two-time Grand Slam champion Amelie Mauresmo looks like she is getting back to her best.

The former top-ranked Frenchwoman, who has beaten four top 10 players already this year, won the Open GDF Suez on Sunday for her first WTA Tour title since February 2007.

"There were times when I doubted myself. I had moments when I asked myself if it was worth it," the 29-year-old Mauresmo said after her win. "But each time I told myself 'maybe you should quit,' I didn't feel it at all."

Mauresmo won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles in 2006, but she was hit by a string of injuries over the last two years. After an emergency appendectomy in March 2007, she strained her right adductor and then injured her left thigh and her right rib muscle in 2008.

Those injuries certainly contributed to the tears that streamed down Mauresmo's face after winning her 25th title Sunday.

"There was a lot of emotion," Mauresmo said. "I had to let it go. I chased all the doubts, all the tough moments I went through those last two years."

Part of the change in fortunes may be attributed to a change in coach. Mauresmo ended her partnership with Loic Courteau last September and hired Hugo Lecoq in November.

"When you make a change, there's a new momentum that is created, a new motivation, a new way of working," Mauresmo said. "It was quite a lot of changes for me. Maybe that's what I needed."

Mauresmo also noticed that 16 years playing at the highest level in women's tennis takes its toll, which is why she decided to skip this week's Dubai Tennis Championships.

"I have to stop dreaming," Mauresmo said. "Physically, it's not anymore like it was 10 years ago. ... If I were to depart for Dubai, it'd be a night flight. And then playing on Tuesday would not be possible."

After finishing in the top 10 seven times between 1999 and 2006, Mauresmo fell in the rankings to 18th in 2007 and 24th in 2008. But the victory in Paris put her back in the top 20, at No. 19.

"The ranking is not the goal," Mauresmo said. "You have to play a lot to be among the very best in the rankings. If I'm ranked 30th but win tournaments like this one, it doesn't bother me."