• WTA Tour

Sharapova on top in deep south

ESPN staff
February 21, 2010
Maria Sharapova is back on track with the top ten in her sights © Getty Images
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Maria Sharapova has claimed her first title of the season, winning the Cellular South Cup in Memphis with a dominating 6-2 6-1 victory over Sofia Arvidsson on Saturday.

Top-seeded Sharapova barely set a foot wrong in the whole tournament, let alone the final, and showed signs she could be returning to her best form after falling in the first round of the Australian Open and generally struggling to get back to the sharp end of women's tennis.

Sharapova just had too much class for the 102-ranked Swede, winning 81% of points on her first serve to keep things tight, and breaking her opponent four times in the 66-minute match.

Qualifier Arvidsson had been in solid form in the lead up to the final, including the defeat of Briton Anne Keothavong in the semis, but the 22-year-old Russian was quite a different proposition and she couldn't manage a repeat of her 2006 win here in Tennessee.

Sharapova said she had achieved everything she was hoping to get out of the tournament, both in results and performance.

"I feel great. I came here for matches - I got five and I got the win, so it was a good week," Sharapova said. "I served and returned well, two things that are very important indoors. I also did the right things against Sofia today. I worked hard after the Australian Open and little by little things are coming along."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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