Dinara Safina believes victory in the final of the French Open on Saturday will silence her detractors.
Russian wants to show the world she's number one
Dinara Safina believes victory in the final of the French Open on Saturday will silence her detractors who say she does not deserve her status as the world's number one.
The Russian has dominated the women's clay-court season with 19 wins out of 20 matches, her only defeat being by her opponent at Roland Garros - Svetlana Kuznetsova - in Stuttgart.
Her form has taken her to the top of the rankings after losing the Australian Open final to Serena Williams earlier in the year, her second Grand Slam final defeat following defeat to Ana Ivanovic 12 months ago.
"Since I became number one in the world (in April), I've been playing in finals and winning titles so how much more proof do I need to give people that I deserve that spot?
"The way I'm playing, I think it shows that I deserve this spot."
She will start favourite to clinch her first Major title against the seventh seeded Kuznetsova, who has the edge in experience after winning the US Open in 2004 and finishing second in Paris two years later.
"I wouldn't say that I was nervous last year - I just think I was tired overall because I had such a tough draw and I had to pull out so many matches," said the 23-year-old.
"This year I've spent much less time on the court so I'm much fresher. I hope this time I will do it."
In what many pundits will see as a battle of nerves between two Russian women known to falter when it comes to the crunch, Kuznetsova admits her mental approach will prove key to her chances of winning.
"To control my nerves, I have to loosen up," she said. "I want to just go out there and enjoy it. Lately, I have not been enjoying that much the finals I've played, except in Stuttgart when I won. I was thinking too much about everything.
"Even in my matches here, in the semis and the quarters, it was getting to my mind a little, but I didn't let it in. So I was just enjoying it.
"I have nothing to lose out there. It's even on clay. But it's a new match, a completely different day. It doesn't matter if I'd won 15 times before or if she'd won 15 times before."
