Sharapova Wins Australian Open

In straight sets, Russian star notches third Grand Slam title

By Mike Buss, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 25, 2008 10:41 PM CST

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Sharapova Wins Australian Open — Russia's Maria Sharapova, right, and Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, left, hold their trophy after Sharapova won the final of the women's singles at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens) (Associated Press)

Maria Sharapova polished her tennis resume and commercial appeal today by dunking Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 6-3, to win the Australian Open women's singles title. The 20-year-old dominated from the outset, controlling key points and letting up only once, with a poor service game in the first set that let her Serb opponent tie it 4-4.

Sharapova plowed through the tournament without losing a single set, defeating No. 1 Justine Henin and No. 3 Jelena Jankovic along the way. Fourth-seeded Ivanovic's loss was her second Grand Slam defeat; she seemed to wilt under big-game pressure, committing 33 unforced errors. Sharapova had lost the 2007 Aussie tourney final to American Serena Williams. (More tennis stories.)

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