After a trio of setbacks, Amelie Mauresmo has learned to master the red clay here.

The second-seeded Mauresmo captured her second consecutive title at the Italia Masters Roma with a 2-6 6-3 6-4 victory over number eight Patty Schnyder of Switzerland on Sunday.

A three-time runner-up in this event starting in 2000, the Frenchwoman broke through here last year with a three-set victory over American Jennifer Capriati. In this one, Mauresmo once again had to rally from a set down.

Schnyder, who knocked off top-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia on Saturday, started the match where she left off in the semi-finals, using precise groundstrokes and a heavy topspin serve to capture the first set and go ahead 3-2 in the second.

Mauresmo, who was plagued by numerous errors early on, turned things around in the second, winning four of the next five games to pull even at one set apiece.

With back-to-back titles here, Mauresmo became the first player to successfully defend her title since Conchita Martinez of Spain in 1996.

Martinez, a four-time winner here, was one of Mauresmo's victims en route to her 17th career title, losing 6-1 6-2 in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Appearing ready for her 11th career entry in the French Open, Mauresmo will look to become the first Frenchwoman to capture the Grand Slam since Mary Pierce in 2000.