Sharapova stages U.S. comeback - News on Astini News
Updated Sep 22, 2011 12:24 PM ET
Russia's Maria Sharapova beat Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the final of the Western & Southern Open, one of the four biggest tournaments of the year outside the Grand Slams and WTA Championships, and moved up to No.4 in the Women's Tennis Association's rankings.
The match between the two former world No. 1s in the U.S. city of Cincinnati on Sunday lasted nearly three hours. Sharapova's victory was hard-fought: 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
'It was a really tough one out there. It was so physical, which is something to expect when you're playing Jelena,' Sharapova was quoted as saying by the WTA official web site. 'In the end it could have gone either way. We kept breaking each other. It felt like one of us played a few good points then the other one, and the levels were up and down throughout the match. I'm just fortunate that at the end of the day, I'm the winner.'
Sharapova has a 6-1 record against Jankovic.
In the semifinal, Sharapova, the event's No.4 seed, Russia's Vera Zvonareva 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 - and later attributing her win to improved footwork.
Sharapova now moves up to No.4 in the WTA rankings, her highest slot since August 2008.
Her next tournament is the U.S. Open in New York, which runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 11.
