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Rome - Maria Martinez-Sanchez was a virtual unknown when she arrived at the Rome Open at the Foro Italico at the beginning of the week but by the end she had tennis purests purring over her traditional game.
The 27-year-old beat seventh seed and twice former winner here Jelena Jankovic 7-6 7-5 in a hugely entertaining final with the kind of game that has not been seen in women's tennis since Jana Novotna hung up her racket.
The world number 26 raised eyebrows in the stands by coming in behind her serve, hitting crisp volleys, using spins and slices and a devillish drop shot game that saw her try that particular technique from almost anywhere on court.
She had her Serbian opponent completely bamboozled at times.
"Overall she mixes up her game with different shots. You can see that she doesn't have just one weapon and she is very tricky with all of these things that she does, especially on clay. That makes it very difficult to play against her," said Jankovic.
"I just had to be aware and alert for those drop shots because they were coming from everywhere and anywhere.
"It did not matter if she was in the back of the court or inside the court - she does it so well."
Martinez-Sanchez revealed that it was another former Wimbledon champion who played a similar game to Novotna but like herself, was a left-hander, who inspired the Spaniard.
"When I was small and watching television I saw Martina Navratilova and ever since I was young I liked to come to the net," she said.
"Always, even when I was seven or eight, I don't know why but I loved doing different things."
The term 'breath of fresh air' has been readily bandied about when speaking of Martinez-Sanchez, particularly in an era when women tennis players appear to be moulded from the same East European clone who stands six feet behind the baseline and sends exocets off each flank without ever tiring or varying.
"I think I have a different game, it's not typical, even in Spain it's different and that's the key.
"I do a lot of different things, I come to the net, I play drop shots."
Already when Novotna won Wimbledon in 1998 she was a dying breed so to see a player like this in 2010 enjoying success has become a complete novelty.
But Martinez-Sanchez claimed that it could have been so different.
"In the first round here I was losing by a set and 4-1 but the key was to fight, fight, fight until the end."
What is most remarkable is that it is only in the last couple of years that she has blossomed having toiled for many years on the women's challenger circuit.
But the Spaniard says that it is belief that has allowed her to keep progressing and now that she has reached this level, she insists that the sky is the limit.
"You have to go to a tournament with the passion and the desire to win. You have to feel this special feeling to give your best.
"You never know what you can achieve so you should never set yourself limits."
One achievement she has her eye on is indeed the last women's Grand Slam to be won by a serve volleyer: Wimbledon.
"I think I can do well on grass, I really like it. With my serve volley game and also the fact that I'm left-handed, that's an advantage."
Martinez-Sanchez thrilled the fans at the Foro Italico and with her game and fighting spirt, there's every chance she could become the darling that Wimbledon has been missing ever since Novtona last graced the hallowed green turf.
