Anwen Rees of Carmarthen was also in record-breaking form, celebrating her 22nd birthday by winning the 400m hurdles title for the fourth consecutive year and delivering a Championship best.
Since then Sharapova's career has been hampered by serious shoulder injuries that forced her into a long rehab, but her winning form at Roland Garros will also see the Russian move above Belorussian Victoria Azarenka to take the No. 1 ranking slot on Monday.
Not only did she keep the flame of her husband's cause alive, she also gave organizational form to the movement by launching Parti Keadilan Nasional - National Justice Party - in April.