Paris ? Anastasia Myskina defeated her countrywoman and friend Elena Dementieva, 6-1, 6-2, Saturday in the French Open final at Roland Garros.

It helped that Dementieva had 33 unforced errors, including 10 double-faults.

“I was really emotional. I was really nervous, as well,” Myskina said. “And I think Elena was nervous more.”

The sixth-seeded Myskina became the first Russian woman to win a major title. And she did so at a tournament where she never had been past the second round, going 1-4.

It helped that the Williams sisters have been hampered by injuries and lack of matches. And that defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne lost in the second round after missing six weeks with a viral infection. And that 2001 and 2003 French Open runner-up Kim Clijsters withdrew because of a bad wrist.

Still, Myskina earned her silver trophy and $1.02 million check. She changed pace and whipped the occasional winner against Dementieva the way she did in victories over Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati. Myskina, who will jump to a career-high No. 3 in the rankings, shed tears of tension in the locker room Saturday, then went out on court and won nine of the 14 rallies that lasted 10 strokes or more.

Today’s all-Argentine men’s final will match No. 3 Guillermo Coria and unseeded Gaston Gaudio.

While Gaudio is unseeded, Coria’s first berth in a Grand Slam final is hardly a surprise. He is seeded third and has won 37 of his past 38 matches, and he survived two tumultuous weeks on clay as every other favorite stumbled.

After losing last year’s semifinal, Coria is determined to do better.

“My goal is to win the French Open,” he said. “I don’t want to just win the semifinal. I want to win the tournament.”