Tennis

Unstoppable Serena shatters Sharapova

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-01-27 16:09

It was the most lopsided women's final here since Steffi Graf beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario for the loss of just two games in 1994.

"You can never under-estimate her, not many people expected her to reach the final but I did, she's an amazing champion," said Sharapova, who was looking to become the first Russian woman to win in Melbourne.

"I look forward to playing here many more times and winning a few more games I hope."

Two weeks ago, no one gave Williams a chance to reach the second week, let alone the final.

She played only 16 matches in 2006. Until arriving in Hobart earlier this month, no one had seen her on a tennis court for four months as she recuperated from yet another injury.

ASTUTE SOOTHSAYERS

Her trophy cabinet had not had any new additions since she won the last of her titles in Melbourne Park two years ago.

Even Williams had acknowledged: "I don't think anyone thought I would get this far except me and my mom."

She and her mom proved to be astute soothsayers.

Just as Goran Ivanisevic had defied the odds to win the 2001 Wimbledon crown ranked 125th in the world, Serena earned her place alongside some of tennis's most memorable comeback artists.

"When I'm playing well, it's difficult for anyone to beat me because I have a unique style. Tennis is what I was born to do," said the 25-year-old.

While Sharapova was the bookmakers' favourite for the title, Williams had the crowd on her side.

Her steely temperament was on show from the start as she left Sharapova reeling by ominously charging to a 5-0 lead.

The Russian looked like her feet had been super-glued to the Rebound Ace surface as she failed to produce a winner until the sixth game of the first set.

When she did, she smashed the ball straight into Williams's body. A fired-up Williams warned: "You'll pay for that."

She was true to her word.

The Russian, who had come within two points of defeat in her opening match, changed her racket after being broken in the first game of the second set but to little avail.

Drizzle meant the roof over Rod Laver Arena had been closed for the match but a despondent Sharapova could have done with the rain washing away her humiliation.

Williams brought up match point by unleashing two thunderbolt deliveries and before Sharapova knew what had hit her, it was all over.

It was a performance that won the the 25-year-old a cool $989,189 but to Williams, it was priceless.