Sport
Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova to win Sony Open
Serena Williams with the Sony Open trophy. PHOTO/EPA
Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 and in turn won the Sony Open.
At 31, the No. 1-ranked Williams became the oldest female champion at Key Biscayne. She won the tournament for the first time since 2008 and surpassed Steffi Graf, a five-time champion.
”Serena played a great match,” Sharapova said. ”I’m sure we’ll be playing a few more times this year.” Sharapova didn’t sound thrilled by the prospect, with good reason. She has lost 11 consecutive matches against Williams and hasn’t beaten her since 2004.
Initially, Sharapova built a lead by keeping Williams on the defensive, then came the turnaround. Williams ratcheted up the power, began feasting on Sharapova’s tentative second serve and broke back at love, then took advantage of two double-faults by Sharapova to break again.
Williams lives 2 hours up I-95 in Palm Beach Gardens, and she made herself right at home in the final set, losing only 10 points.
”That’s why she’s No. 1 in the world,” Sharapova said. ”She’s really capable of doing that. I was controlling a lot of the points in the first set and the beginning of the second. Then toward the end, I wasn’t there.”
Williams’ late surge won cheers from the crowd, which included her sister, three-time champion Venus.
