Sharapova subdues Li in Porsche final
Source: Agencies |
April 29, 2013, Monday
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Print Edition
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WORLD No. 2 Maria Sharapova saved her best performance of the week for last when she successfully defended her Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title, with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over second seed Li Na of China to kick off her claycourt season in style.
Sharapova, who had needed three sets in all her previous rounds in Stuttgart, Germany, found it easier against Li, with her serve setting her up for her second consecutive victory in the indoor arena.
The top seed, her loud grunts echoing around the stadium, snatched a break at the start, with a sizzling backhand down the line that left Li stranded.
Li sent a crosscourt backhand into the net to give the Russian another break and allow her to go 4-1 up.
The Australian Open finalist bounced back in the next game and grabbed her own first break when French Open champion Sharapova sent a forehand long after a long rally.
Sharapova was in no mood for adventures, however, and quickly established a double break cushion, then served out the first set on her first opportunity when the fifth-ranked Li, who won the French Open in 2011, sank a return into the net after another well-placed serve.
The pair traded blows until Sharapova earned another break point and went 4-3 up.
With a superb first-serve figure of 76 percent throughout the game, she kept her opponent pinned to the back and earned her second title of the year when Li double-faulted on the first match point.
Sharapova became the first player to defend her title in Stuttgart since American Lindsay Davenport in 2005.
Meanwhile, Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic claimed his first ATP title in Bucharest, Romania, yesterday with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
The 27-year-old Rosol, who knocked out Rafael Nadal in the second round at Wimbledon last year, required just over an hour to overcome Garcia-Lopez, the world No. 87.
Rosol turned up in Bucharest in good form after steering defending champions Czech Republic into the Davis Cup semifinals with victory over Kazakhstan's Evgeny Korolev at the start of the month.
Sharapova, who had needed three sets in all her previous rounds in Stuttgart, Germany, found it easier against Li, with her serve setting her up for her second consecutive victory in the indoor arena.
The top seed, her loud grunts echoing around the stadium, snatched a break at the start, with a sizzling backhand down the line that left Li stranded.
Li sent a crosscourt backhand into the net to give the Russian another break and allow her to go 4-1 up.
The Australian Open finalist bounced back in the next game and grabbed her own first break when French Open champion Sharapova sent a forehand long after a long rally.
Sharapova was in no mood for adventures, however, and quickly established a double break cushion, then served out the first set on her first opportunity when the fifth-ranked Li, who won the French Open in 2011, sank a return into the net after another well-placed serve.
The pair traded blows until Sharapova earned another break point and went 4-3 up.
With a superb first-serve figure of 76 percent throughout the game, she kept her opponent pinned to the back and earned her second title of the year when Li double-faulted on the first match point.
Sharapova became the first player to defend her title in Stuttgart since American Lindsay Davenport in 2005.
Meanwhile, Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic claimed his first ATP title in Bucharest, Romania, yesterday with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
The 27-year-old Rosol, who knocked out Rafael Nadal in the second round at Wimbledon last year, required just over an hour to overcome Garcia-Lopez, the world No. 87.
Rosol turned up in Bucharest in good form after steering defending champions Czech Republic into the Davis Cup semifinals with victory over Kazakhstan's Evgeny Korolev at the start of the month.
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