Serbia's Ana Ivanovic returns the ball to Russia's Dinara Safina during the women's final match of the French Open on Saturday. Ivanovic won in straight sets. (Michel Spingler/Associated Press)

Serbia's Ana Ivanovic did a lot of growing up in a year and the result was a French Open championship on Saturday on the famous clay courts of Roland Garros Stadium.

Already assured of the world's No. 1 ranking when the new list comes out Monday morning, Ivanovic battled a game but ultimately overmatched Dinara Safina of Russia, 6-4, 6-3 for the 20-year-old's first Grand Slam title.

Ivanovic's win came 12 months after the now-retired Justine Henin took her apart in last year's final.

Up one set, Ivanovic broke Safina at 1-1 and then held her serve to go up 3-1.

Safina held, setting up two long games that went to deuce multiple times as the two young players refused to give ground, ultimately splitting them to make it 4-3.

Ivanovic held her serve and then broke the Russian for the victory.

"This was my dream since I was a little kid, and I'm so excited," she told NBC television. "It's amazing all the way. I've been dreaming as a little kid when I used to go to practice by bicycle, and now to have a chance to win this title, it's wonderful."

Later in the day, Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay and Luis Home of Peru defeated Canada's Daniel Nestor and Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic 6-2, 6-3, winning the men's doubles championship.