Maria Sharapova defended her Rome Masters title in a rain-interrupted final against Li Na of China on Sunday.
The heavens opened with the match tantalizingly poised at one set apiece and 6-6 in the final set.
When the players re-emerged an hour later, Sharapova held her nerve in the tie-break to see out a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory for her second title of the year.
The 25-year-old defending champion had recovered from a set down and 4-0 down in the second to take six games straight.
Sharapova went 4-1 up in the third set before Li mounted a comeback of her own to take the score to 6-6.
Li netted in the tie-break and hit the last shot of the match just wide to hand Sharapova the win, despite hitting half of the Russian's 10 double faults and one more winner at 21.
The match had already been stopped once due to rain, but when Li slipped the umpire ruled it be postponed.
The world No. 2 stretches her lead against the Chinese No. 1 to 7-4. The Russian crushed her 6-3, 6-0 in their last match at the Miami quarterfinals.
Last year Sharapova beat Australian Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-4 in the final.
She won the Stuttgart final in April, beating world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.
