Francesca Schiavone defeated Samantha Stosur in the final, 6–4, 7–6(7–2) to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2010 French Open. It was her first and only major singles title, becoming the first Italian woman to win a singles major. Schiavone was the first woman in the Open Era to win the title without being a top-10 seed. The final was also a rematch of the pair's first round match from the previous year. With the win, Schiavone made her top 10 debut in the rankings.[1][2] She remains the last woman with a one-handed backhand to win a singles major.
This tournament marked the last French Open appearance of four-time champion Justine Henin, who was defeated by Stosur in the fourth round.[3] It was also the major debut of future world No. 1 and two-time major champion Simona Halep, who was defeated by Stosur in the first round.
With the loss of Serena Williams in the quarterfinals, a first-time major champion was guaranteed. This was the first major since the 1979 Australian Open where none of the semifinalists had previously won a major title, and the final was the first since the 2004 tournament to feature two first-time major finalists.[4]