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Jennifer Capriati was crowned the queen of Roland Garros on Saturday afternoon after her quite astonishing story took another sensational twist.

Eleven years after she had become the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist here as a schoolgirl of 14 years and two months, Capriati became French Open champion defeating Belgium's Kim Clijsters 1-6 6-4 12-10 in a match of unbearable tension and drama.

And at the end, when she had won her second back-to-back Grand Slam and kept alive her dreams of making it four Slams in a row this year to cap a remarkable renaissance, she skipped over to her family in the Paris sunshine.

She hugged her brother Steven, she embraced dad and coach Stefano and blew a kiss to her mother Denise up in the stand, who applauded with tears in her eyes.

And then after receiving the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen Trophy from the world's fastest man Maurice Greene, she admitted: "I'm just waiting to wake up from the dream, it doesn't seem like reality right now.

"When I came here as a 14-year-old 11 years ago I never thought I'd be here now winning the final.

"I have to thank my family for everything they have done for me. Without them I wouldn't be here. I love them so much."

The words were poignant and heartfelt because it was her family who pulled back Capriati from the brink when she was in the midst of a teenage rebellion which saw her involved with drugs, on shoplifting charges and even contemplating suicide.

She left the game for more than two years for rehabilitation and even when she returned it seemed that her weight and emotional problems would deny her fulfilling the champion potential she had displayed as a youngster.

It says much for her rejuvenation and the humility she has shown as her game has been reborn these past two years that in her moment of triumph she was thinking of others.

"I want to dedicate this victory to Corina," she said, referring to American star Corina Morariu who is battling against cancer.

"I want to wish her the best and everybody pray for her recovery."

It was appropriate also that she should congratulate her opponent - the feisty, precocious Clijsters, who celebrated her 18th birthday yesterday and came so close to giving Belgium its first Grand Slam champion.

It contained some extraordinary power hitting from Clijsters.

It featured a Capriati fightback of guts and courage so typical of her New York roots.

And it provided in the remarkable 12-10 finale the longest women's third set in French Open final history and the longest set since Althea Gibson beat Britain's own Angela Mortimer 6-0 12-10 back in the 1956 final.

None, however, could surely have contained more drama.

With Sean Connery up in the stands, no doubt pondering playing the leading girl's coach and dad in any forthcoming screenplay, Capriati struggled to find her game for the best part of an hour.

Indeed, she was out-thought and out-powered for a set and a half by Clijsters, whose father Leo was voted Belgium's Footballer of the Year back in 1988.

It seemed the comeback which has enthralled the whole of sport, let alone the tennis world, was to suffer a sudden reverse.

But from somewhere, perhaps the concerned looks of dad Stefano and mum Denise, whose divorce is entirely amicable, Capriati found the perseverance and courage to claw her way back.

The errors, which had simply gushed from Capriati's racket during that first set in which everything seemed to bother her - the on-court microphones, the excitable crowd, the foot-fault judge - slowly began to dry up.

In the fifth game of the second set she got the vital break, assisted by a Clijsters double fault and went on to take the set and level the match as the Belgian's game lost some of its early impetus.

And so we came to the fabulous third set in which the pair again swapped early breaks, the errors and winners flowing from both sides of the net.

The tension grew but still the composure of the teenager was remarkable as she pressurised her more experienced opponent, driven on by her voluble Belgium supporters in their silly hats and 'I love you' sun shades and who had sung 'Happy Birthday' to Clijsters as she walked on court.

The set went with serve, even if with some stretched nerves, until the 13th game and it was Clijsters who was first to crack, a drop shot badly executed and a forehand which sailed long giving Capriati the crucial break.

More experienced or not, she could not take her chance, the pressure effecting both players and Clijsters eventually broke back on her fourth break point.

Again Capriati broke in the 19th game, but once more Clijsters broke back, this time aided by a fortunate net cord.

And by now we were into the longest third set in the final in tournament's history.

Back and forth the momentum see-sawed with the crowd screaming their support and Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilda of Belgium barely at times capable of watching.

As it was the Belgian serve cracked again in the 21st game and Capriati came out to serve for the match for the third time.

With a Mexican Wave snaking around the stadium and seemingly Gallic bedlam all around at last the American found a way past the stubborn Clijsters to take game, set and match and complete surely tennis's most heart-warming fairytale.

"I'm so happy," said Capriati.

"We both got nervous. I just don't know how I did it. I can't believe I won two Grand Slams in a row. It's unbelievable."

"Anything can happen now," said Clijsters, who reckons the grass of Wimbledon and the hard court of Flushing Meadows suits the Capriati game.

"If she doesn't get injured she can overpower her opponents on those surfaces. She stays aggressive and has so much confidence.

"I remember when she played here 11 years ago. I liked playing in Diadora gear then and that's what she was wearing. It was very nice to play with her and play such a great match.

"I was surprised how high the level was after so long. We still had unbelievable rallies and we both kept fighting to the end.

"Of course, it's heartbreaking. I gave everything I had. I can't blame myself but one of us had to lose and it was me today.

"I'm disappointed but in a few days I'll enjoy what I've had here. It was great to hear the Belgians and see the people doing the Wave.

"All the new players hit the ball hard today and go for the points as we did today and this is the future of tennis."