PARIS, June 8: All the talk had been of the teenagers - the hair-beaded Williams sisters Venus and Serena, Anna Kournikova with her precocious talent and Hollywood looks, Martina Hingis hunting the only Grand Slam to elude her. But in the end two veterans stole the show at the 1998 French Open.Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario took her third title here in a thrilling three-set battle with triple-champion Monica Seles which she won 7-6, 0-6, 6-2 to cap a women's tournament which once more overshadowed the men's.Sanchez, considered an old-timer at 26, had to fight her opponent and the French crowd as the Parisians took Seles, 24, to their hearts.The naturalised American was playing her first tournament since the death her father Karolj three weeks ago.Seles destroyed World number one and top seed Hingis in the semifinals 6-3, 6-2 but on Saturday could not get past Sanchez Vicario, playing with pride in front of King Juan Carlos of Spain.The Spanish Monarchy saw their nation's dominance of the eventcompleted when Carlos Moya beat compatriot Alex Corretja 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 to take the men's crown 24 hours later.Moya was awarded the trophy by Brazilian soccer legend Pele.Men's World number one Pete Sampras suffered the same fate as Hingis, although much earlier in the fortnight, as he also seeks the only Grand Slam trophy to complete his collection.The American top seed's dreams were ended in the second round when he fell to little-known Paraguayan Ramon Delgado. A qualifier who stole the imagination was Russia's Marat Safin. He knocked out a resurgent Andre Agassi in the opening round before becoming the first qualifier to oust defending champion when he beat Gustavo Kuerten en route to the last 16.Off court a war of words simmered between the women, the established players berating the youngsters for their attitude and lack of respect. Defending champion Iva Majoli got the ball rolling: "Sometimes Anna (Kournikova) goes `I am the most beautiful, most intelligent.you should just laugh at thesethings."Sanchez Vicario accounted for Serena, fighting back from a set and 5-2 down in the last 16. Harsh words were spoken across the net over a disputed bounce and an easy putaway was smashed straight at the Spaniard, only narrowly missing her. "I think Me, Steffi, Monica we were not like this.," she said ruefully after the match.So as the players knock the clay from their shoes and prepare for the grass of Wimbledon in a fortnight, Paris has provided, on the one hand, a new men's Grand Slam champion. And on the other, two great champions served notice that they are not prepared to bow out just yet.WINNERS ALLMen's Singles champions this decade1990 Andres Gomez (Ecuador)1991 Jim Courier (USA)1992 Jim Courier (USA)1993 Sergi Bruguera (Spain)1994 Sergi Bruguera (Spain)1995 Thomas Muster (Austria)1996 Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia)1997 Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)1998 Carlos Moya (Spain)
