Pierce focused on French fantasy

Pierce's power game was too much for Hingis

Mary Pierce, who had to be put on an intravenous drip after her draining semi-final victory over Martina Hingis on Thursday, will go into Saturday's final against Conchita Martinez as the crowd and bookmakers' favourite.

Pierce, the number six seed, barely lasted the course against the world number one on Thursday, but bounced back 24 hours later to help Hingis reach the final of the women's doubles by beating Nathalie Tauziat and Alexandra Fusai.

This sets up the possibility of an incredible double for the naturalised French player, who was born in Canada and lives in Florida.

Although Martinez should be fresher than Pierce after her easy straight sets semi-final defeat of Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and day off on Friday, Pierce has beaten the fifth-seeded Spaniard in eight of their last ten meetings.

It's great to have them behind me. It makes it different than any other Grand Slam

Mary Pierce

Pierce will also have the partisan Roland Garros crowd firmly behind her as she strives to become the first French women's champion since Francoise Durr 33 years ago, and the first French winner at Roland Garros since Yannick Noah won the men's crown in 1983.

"It's great to have them behind me," Pierce said on Friday. "It makes it different than any other Grand Slam."

It has taken some time for Pierce to win over the French public, who were initially unsure of the temperamental blonde and her American accent.

Fresh approach

But a more relaxed and consistent approach on the court, which she puts down to her reawakened Catholicism and the coaching of her brother, has certainly reaped dividends in terms of results and popularity.

Although Pierce's faith and training regime have undoubtedly made her a more confident player, some observers will also point to her well-publicised use of the controversial dietary supplement Creatine as another factor in her improved form and increased hitting power.

Martinez crushed Sanchez-Vicario

Whatever the reason for the upswing in Pierce's fortunes, the 25-year-old now has a gilt-edged chance to add to her single Grand Slam title - the 1995 Australian Open - and avenge her crushing 1994 French Open defeat by Martinez' compatriot Sanchez-Vicario.

"It's exciting to be in the final again and I'm really happy," Pierce said.

"Conchita is playing really well lately and it's gonna be a tough match."

The 28-year-old Martinez is also bidding for her second Grand Slam title - the first coming six years ago when she shocked Martina Navaratilova to win Wimbledon.

A natural claycourt player, Martinez has never really lived up to her potential at Roland Garros, but is clearly in a rich vein of form on the slow red clay after winning the German Open at Berlin last month.