Second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo needed three sets to overtake Patty Schnyder to win Sunday's final at the $1.3 million Italian Masters. The 25-year-old Frenchwoman dropped the first set to the eighth-seeded Schnyder, but rallied for her second straight title at the event winning, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. "Even though I had a really bad start in the first set, beginning of second set, I was really able to come back pretty strong and made sure I hung in there, I stayed there, I fought," Mauresmo said. Mauresmo, who knocked off American Jennifer Capriati in last year's final, became the first player to successfully defend a title here since Spain's Conchita Martinez won four in a row from 1993-96. "I'm very proud of that, because it's a great, big tournament, it's a very strong draw," said Mauresmo. "I think as the tournament was going, I felt stronger and stronger." A three-time runner up at this event, Mauresmo improved to 10-5 lifetime against Schnyder, with wins in the last three meetings. However, eight of the 15 matchups have gone to three sets. Mauresmo, who beat sixth-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva on Saturday to advance, picked up her second title of the year and 17th of her career, while earning $189,000 with the win. The Swiss Schnyder, who was trying for her second WTA Tour singles title of 2005, had ousted top-seeded and reigning Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia on Saturday.