Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska used her wits to defeat world number two Maria Sharapova 7-5, 6-4 to win the women's final at the Miami WTA/ATP event.
Sharapova has now lost all four finals she has featured in at the Miami tournament and all three she has played in this year.
Radwanska's victory was her second of the year following a triumph in Dubai and her ninth WTA title, arguably her most valuable one.
"I'm just very, very happy that I have been able to play my best tennis since the beginning of the year. Let's hope that I can continue," Radwanska said.
"I will never be able to serve like Maria but I try different things and mix it up."
The Pole, ranked fourth in the world, won the tournament without losing a set and she showed exactly why with a classy display that left Sharapova scurrying around the court at times.
There was characteristically little emotion from Radwanska, beyond a timid half-raising of her arms, when Sharapova went long on the final point to hand her victory.
But that was typical of the businesslike and strategic way Radwanska went about beating Sharapova.
In the first set, Radwanska, in control of her service game despite lacking a powerful first serve, survived break point in the fifth game but that was a rare opening for her opponent.
The set was heading to a tie-break when Sharapova, down 6-5, suddenly lost her previously solid service game.
Sharapova produced two loose shots and then a volley into the net to leave her trailing 0-40 in the game and although Radwanska wobbled with two tame returns into the net, Sharapova failed to clear the net herself to hand her opponent the set.
It was a similar story in the second set, with both players solid on serve, but Radwanska coming out on top when it mattered at the conclusion of the set.
Radwanska fought back from 0-30 down to go 6-5 up and force Sharapova to hold serve to stay in the match.
Sharapova looked agitated and was let down by some reckless strokes, twice going long on returns, as Radwanska lured her into defeat.
Reuters
Tags: tennis, sport, united-states First posted April 01, 2012 06:03:19
No comments:
Post a Comment