Svetlana Kuznetsova froze out Dinara Safina in an all-Russian French Open final yesterday, defeating the world number one 6-4 6-2 in just 74 minutes.
So one-sided was the affair, on an unusually cold and damp day in Paris, that it barely came as a surprise when Safina bowed out with a double fault that bounced off the tape and fell wide.
Instead of rejoicing in her moment of triumph, a sympathetic Kuznetsova consoled her teary-eyed childhood friend by giving her a hug and a kiss across the net.
It was only then that the seventh seed raised her arms and thumped her heart to celebrate the fact that after five years she had won a second grand slam title to add to her 2004 success at the US Open.
"I was waiting for many moments for this," Kuznetsova told the crowd after being handed the trophy by six-times former winner Steffi Graf.
Seconds later, she turned her thoughts to Safina, who had also been beaten by Ana Ivanovic in the Paris final 12 months ago.
"You will get it one day and I'm so sorry for today, you are a great athlete," Kuznetsova told Safina.
The despondent top seed, with tears rolling down her face, said: "Hopefully one day I can win here."
Safina, who has now finished runner-up in the season's opening two majors, will remain as world number one but that will come as scant consolation after she came so agonisingly close to ending her wait for a maiden grand slam crown.
The showdown had been expected to be a close affair because Safina had swept to a 20-1 record on clay before the final. That one loss was to Kuznetsova.
Safina also appeared to hold the upper hand because she had won five of their last six meetings and had been the dominant force during the last fortnight, dropping only one set in her six matches.
Kuznetsova, in comparison, had to battle through three successive three-setters to make it through to the showpiece match.
The two, both 23, had been hitting partners since the age of 12 and Safina had recalled Kuznetsova as: "A funny girl. I remember her coming to the match with a two-litre (bottle of) Pepsi. You would look at her, and it was like, no way she can be one day winning a grand slam."
Less than 24 hours after that recollection, Kuznetsova had a second major while Safina was left wondering how things could have gone so wrong.
Last 10 Champions
2008 Ivanovic; 2007 Henin; 2006 Henin; 2005 Henin; 2004 Myskina; 2003 Henin; 2002 Serena Williams; 2001 Capriati; 2000 Pierce; 1999 Graf.