STRASBOURG, France (Ticker) -- The $190,000 Strasbourg International claycourt tennis event is just a tuneup for the French Open. But it means a lot more than that to the comeback attempt of Jennifer Capriati. The unseeded 23-year-old today beat second seed Elena Likhovtseva of Russia, 6-1, 6-3, to gain the tournament title, its $27,500 first prize and a boost in her derailed career. It was her first singles title since winning in Sydney, Australia in 1993. In her first final since losing at Sydney in 1997, Capriati did not disappoint. She closed out what appeared to be a surprisingly easy run through the bracket, never dropping a set. In 1990, Capriati became the youngest player ever to be ranked in the top 10 at the age of 14 years, 235 days, and enjoyed plenty of highlights thereafter, including a victory in the 1992 Olympics. She made it as high as sixth, but a series of problems off the court, including drug and legal troubles, helped fizzle her once promising career. Playing in her sixth tournament of 1999, Capriati will move up 60 spots in the world rankings, to 53rd. "I think the depth of women's tennis is better now than before," said Capriati, who broke in when Steffi Graf was dominating the women's circuit. "All the players are stronger now and I'm stronger physically. I think I'm a better player now than when I was in the top 10 because my maturity level has grown and I'm smarter on the court in some ways, but I still wish that I was younger." Along the way, she took out Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, sixth-seeded Cara Black of Zimbabwe, top-seeded Nathalie Tauziat of France and Czech Denisa Chladkova. On Thursday, she lost only one game to Tauziat, completing her rain-delayed match with Black earlier in the day. "It's great. I'm thrilled," Capriati said. "I beat Elena at the `96 Lipton, but from then and now, there is a difference in my game. I'm moving better and I'm in good physical condition." In the French Open, Capriati will face Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual in the first round. "Anything is possible, but I'm focusing on my first match," the American said. "I've had many steps in my comeback and this is just another step. Harold Solomon (coach) has helped me a lot. I needed a good coach who understands the game and he was also a good player. That's what I really needed to put everything together. We also get along very well. "Hopefully, I will keep going forward with more wins and with everything. Hopefully, this is the start of good things. This is definitely a confidence booster. I can go into Roland Garros and win some matches. Before, I used to go on the court and think I would lose, now I feel I can win matches." It was Capriati's seventh career title, including the Olympic gold medal. Likhovtseva was in the final here for the first time in three appearances, bettering her semifinal effort in 1998. It was her first final since winning the Gold Coast Women's Classic in Australia in 1997, her second career victory and first since 1993. "When Jennifer plays well, she can hit some unbelievable shots," Likhovtseva said. "I was tired not physically, but maybe mentally. I had the singles semifinals and two doubles matches yesterday and hope that it rains a little bit at Roland Garros so that I can recover." Unseeded at the French Open, Likhovtseva will meet Slovakian Katarina Studenikova in the opening round. Defending champion Irina Spirlea of Romania and 1998 finalist Julie Halard-Decugis of France did not compete this week. Halard-Decugis lost to Martina Hingis in the final of the German Open on Sunday.  