Sharapova sees off Jankovic
Source: Agencies |
August 23, 2011, Tuesday
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RUSSIA'S Maria Sharapova beat Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 to win the Western & Southern Open on Sunday and install herself as one of the favorites for the US Open.
There were 16 breaks of serve in a topsy-turvy final but Sharapova emerged strongest in the end to claim her second title of the season and the 24th of her career in the lead up to the final grand slam event of the season, starting in New York on August 29.
"It was a really tough one out there. It was so physical and in the end, it could have gone either way," said Sharapova. "We kept breaking each other in the beginning. It felt like one of us played a few good points and than the other one and the levels were up and down throughout the match.
"So, I'm just fortunate that at the end of the day I'm the winner."
Sharapova started the match brightly, serving well and looking swift on her feet as she took a 4-1 lead but then Jankovic fought back and her Russian opponent crumbled in alarming fashion.
Jankovic won the next five games to take the set as Sharapova's serve fell to pieces with five double-faults contributing to her problems.
The second set was riddled with unforced errors from both players, 27 from Sharapova and 21 from Jankovic but the Russian won the tie-break 7-3 to force the match into a third set.
The first six games of the third set were all broken before Sharapova held serve to go 4-3 up and she showed her old killer instinct to finish off the encounter.
Sharapova's other win this season came in Rome. The former world No. 1 did make the final at Wimbledon but lost to Czech Petra Kvitova.
There were 16 breaks of serve in a topsy-turvy final but Sharapova emerged strongest in the end to claim her second title of the season and the 24th of her career in the lead up to the final grand slam event of the season, starting in New York on August 29.
"It was a really tough one out there. It was so physical and in the end, it could have gone either way," said Sharapova. "We kept breaking each other in the beginning. It felt like one of us played a few good points and than the other one and the levels were up and down throughout the match.
"So, I'm just fortunate that at the end of the day I'm the winner."
Sharapova started the match brightly, serving well and looking swift on her feet as she took a 4-1 lead but then Jankovic fought back and her Russian opponent crumbled in alarming fashion.
Jankovic won the next five games to take the set as Sharapova's serve fell to pieces with five double-faults contributing to her problems.
The second set was riddled with unforced errors from both players, 27 from Sharapova and 21 from Jankovic but the Russian won the tie-break 7-3 to force the match into a third set.
The first six games of the third set were all broken before Sharapova held serve to go 4-3 up and she showed her old killer instinct to finish off the encounter.
Sharapova's other win this season came in Rome. The former world No. 1 did make the final at Wimbledon but lost to Czech Petra Kvitova.
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