Sharapova win in San Diego
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Maria Sharapova earned her first title in 10 months with a 6-2 3-6 6-0 victory over Patty Schnyder in San Diego, reports BBC.
Sharapova used sharp ground strokes to capture her first championship since winning at Linz, Austria, in October.
Schnyder, the 11th seed, struggled early as Sharapova consistently hit the lines with forehands and backhands.
The defending champion dropped her first set of the tournament in the second but broke Schnyder in the second and fourth games of the third.
"In the first set I hit some really good shots when she was serving and that opened doors for me," said the 20-year-old Sharapova.
"In the second set I lost that extra step and once you give her a little edge, she's going to get a lot of balls back and she's not going to waste her time.
"I hesitated for too many balls and I knew I had to step in and hit it again."
"Once she's on a roll, she sticks with it and doesn't give a chance," said Schnyder, who beat three higher-ranked opponents to reach the final.
"She puts pressure on you whenever she has break points and you have to save them."
Sharapova will move straight on to the Los Angeles tournament before taking two weeks off ahead of the US Open, where she is the defending champion.
The Russian won in San Diego last year before her Flushing Meadow triumph and is hoping that history will repeat itself in 2007.
"After winning here and then winning the Open, you want to do the same thing," she said.
"Last year I won here and went to In and Out Burger, and this year I want to get in the car, go there again and drive the same way."
Sharapova used sharp ground strokes to capture her first championship since winning at Linz, Austria, in October.
Schnyder, the 11th seed, struggled early as Sharapova consistently hit the lines with forehands and backhands.
The defending champion dropped her first set of the tournament in the second but broke Schnyder in the second and fourth games of the third.
"In the first set I hit some really good shots when she was serving and that opened doors for me," said the 20-year-old Sharapova.
"In the second set I lost that extra step and once you give her a little edge, she's going to get a lot of balls back and she's not going to waste her time.
"I hesitated for too many balls and I knew I had to step in and hit it again."
"Once she's on a roll, she sticks with it and doesn't give a chance," said Schnyder, who beat three higher-ranked opponents to reach the final.
"She puts pressure on you whenever she has break points and you have to save them."
Sharapova will move straight on to the Los Angeles tournament before taking two weeks off ahead of the US Open, where she is the defending champion.
The Russian won in San Diego last year before her Flushing Meadow triumph and is hoping that history will repeat itself in 2007.
"After winning here and then winning the Open, you want to do the same thing," she said.
"Last year I won here and went to In and Out Burger, and this year I want to get in the car, go there again and drive the same way."