TENNIS Live

Australian Open - Final - Women

Nationality Player Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5
Russian FederationM Sharapova76---
A Ivanovic53---

Maria Sharapova

Nationality RUS
Date of Birth 19/04/1987
Height 1.88 m
Weight 59 kg
WTA Ranking 5
Player Info Right-handed; Two-handed backhand
 

Live Comments

  1. 6-3 - SHARAPOVA WINS THE TITLE! This time the Russian gets it as Ivanovic races up to a short ball but thumps the ball just wide!

  2. 40-30 - The second is also squandered as Sharapova pushes her attempted forehand down the line just wide

  3. 40-15 - The first goes begging as Sharapova slaps a forehand just long. Mind you, the Russian challenges and hawkeye shows the ball was only out by about a milimetre!

  4. 40-0 - Sharapova earns herself three match points with an inside out forehand that lands smack on the sideline ...

  5. 5-3 - Sharapova holds for the loss of just one point as a huge serve out wide is merely deflected back across the court and out. Ivanovic will need to serve to stay in the match now

  6. 4-3 - Sharapova breaks to leave herself just two games from the title. It's a poor game from Ivanovic and she hands the Russian a break point by slapping down a double fault.

  7. 3-3 - Yet another love service game goes the way of Sharapova as she levels up in the sixth game

  8. 2-3 - A first love service game from Ivanovic keeps her in the mix for this set

  9. 2-2 - After finding it a little tough going towards the end of the first set, Sharapova is back to taking easy service holds again

  10. 1-2 - A much better service game from Ivanovic as she holds to keep herself narrowly in the lead in this second set

  11. 1-1 - Sharapova sends down a fifth love service game as she holds to get herself off the mark in this second set

  12. 0-1 - A huge hold for Ivanovic despite the 20-year-old having to battle against a couple of break points

  13. 7-5 - SHARAOPVA HOLDS TO LOVE TO SERVE OUT THE SET. Ivanovic has lost a little of her intensity in recent games and will need to re-bound quickly in the next game of so.

  14. 6-5 - Sharapova breaks for a second time as Ivanovic struggles to regain her composure after failing to close out the set. Sharapova will serve for it for a second time

  15. 5-5 - Sharapova levels up again. Ivanovic earns herself a small window of opportunity racing out to 30-0 against the Sharapova serve with some great free hitting. But a rush of blood to the head later and Sharapova is right back in it

  16. 4-5 - Ivanovic holds with a service winner down the T to leave her now just one game from the first set. Sharapova will have to serve to stay in it

  17. 4-4 - Ivanovic breaks back as Sharapova throws three doubles into the mix. We are back on serve at the crunch point of thid set

  18. 4-3 - Ivanovic hols to get back on track

  19. 4-2 - Sharapova holds again to love to enforce the break

  20. 3-2 - Huge hitting from Sharapova earns her the first break of the match as Ivanovic is beaten for pace and loops a backhand deep of the baseline

  21. 2-2 - A second love service game in a row from Sharapova to keep things on serve

  22. 1-2 - Ivanovic comes up with a terrific save from 0-30 to hold for a second time. That'll help with the confidence

  23. 1-1 - A love service game from Sharapova to open up her account

  24. 0-1 - A solid opener from Ivanovic as she holds for the loss of just the one point. She even manages to throw in a second serve ace

  25. 0-0 - Ivanovic to serve ...

  26. 02:39 - Sharapova and Ivanovic have met four times before - once in 2006 and three times last season - with the head-to-head tied at 2-2. Sharapova won the first in Linz two years ago and the most recent at the season-ending WTA Tour Championships in Madrid. But Ivanovic beat the Russian in Tokyo last year and perhaps most importantly in straight sets in the French Open semi-final

  27. 02:34 - The players are just walking out on to the Rod Laver Arena. It is another beautiful day in Melbourne with temperatures, already at 30, predicted to reach up to 35 degrees celsius throughout the course of the afternoon

  28. 02:27 - Hello and welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of the Australian Open women's final between fifth seed Maria Sharapova and third seed Ana Ivanovic

WTA Race 2008

Points
1 Jelena Jankovic 4355 stay
2 Serena Williams 3681 stay
3 Dinara Safina 3628 stay
4 Elena Dementieva 3040 stay
5 Ana Ivanovic 2952 stay
6 Maria Sharapova 2515 stay
7 Svetlana Kuznetsova 2513 stay
8 Venus Williams 2246 stay
9 Vera Zvonareva 2135 stay
10 Agnieszka Radwanska 2096 stay

Full Table »