PierreC
03-07-2008, 02:40 PM
Results - Sunday, February 24, 2008
Singles - Final
(4) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 61 26 60
Doubles - Final
(3) Peschke/Stubbs (CZE/AUS) d. (1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) 61 57 107 (Match TB)
Final Facts
- Sharapova wins her 18th career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title and her second of the season (she also won the Australian Open); she is now 18-7 lifetime in Tour singles finals.
- Sharapova improves her record in Tier I level or above finals to 10-5 (3-1 in major finals, 1-1 in Tour Championships finals and 6-3 in Tier I finals); she now joins Amélie Mauresmo and Venus Williams at No.4 on the active list of Tier I singles title winners (Davenport is at No.1 with 11 titles).
- Sharapova extends her unbeaten record in 2008 to 14-0 (7-0 at the Australian Open, 2-0 in Fed Cup and 5-0 in Doha); she also improves her 9-0 lifetime record in Doha (she was 4-0 in her only previous appearance, winning the title in 2005)
- Zvonareva falls to 5-6 lifetime in Tour singles finals; her titles came at Birmingham and Cincinnati in 2006, Memphis in 2005 and 2004 and Bol in 2003; though she is 5-6 in finals she has seven runner-up finishes (she gave Daniilidou a walkover at Hobart this year due to a left ankle injury).
- Sharapova now improves her head-to-head record with Zvonareva to 5-3 (her previous meeting with her compatriot came in the fourth round of Indian Wells last year, with Zvonareva triumphing in three sets).
- Sharapova and Zvonareva were competing in the 12th all-Russian singles final in Sony Ericsson WTA Tour history; the last one took place in January 2007, when Chakvetadze defeated Bardina for the Hobart title.
- Sharapova remains at No.5 in the world rankings despite her title triumph; Zvonareva is set to rise from No.27 to No.21 after her runner-up finish.
- Peschke and Stubbs win their fourth Tour doubles title in tandem and first of 2008; Peschke wins her 12th career doubles title, while Stubbs captures her 59th; Stubbs is No.12 on the all-time list of Tour doubles title winners (Lisa Raymond is currently No.11 with 65 career Tour doubles titles).
Final Quotes
Maria Sharapova, 2008 Qatar Total Open singles champion:
“I was kind of sleeping in the beginning but I got my feet going. I had so many opportunities at the start of the second set but didn't take them, and she's the type of player that plays better when she's down; I have seen it before. The first game of the third was important. I got myself going by winning some of the long points in that game and things started changing from there. I didn't feel I played my best tennis today - it was very up and down - but I found something to get me going and came out of it with a win. When you've got five matches in five days you can't expect to play your best every day."
Singles - Final
(4) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 61 26 60
Doubles - Final
(3) Peschke/Stubbs (CZE/AUS) d. (1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) 61 57 107 (Match TB)
Final Facts
- Sharapova wins her 18th career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title and her second of the season (she also won the Australian Open); she is now 18-7 lifetime in Tour singles finals.
- Sharapova improves her record in Tier I level or above finals to 10-5 (3-1 in major finals, 1-1 in Tour Championships finals and 6-3 in Tier I finals); she now joins Amélie Mauresmo and Venus Williams at No.4 on the active list of Tier I singles title winners (Davenport is at No.1 with 11 titles).
- Sharapova extends her unbeaten record in 2008 to 14-0 (7-0 at the Australian Open, 2-0 in Fed Cup and 5-0 in Doha); she also improves her 9-0 lifetime record in Doha (she was 4-0 in her only previous appearance, winning the title in 2005)
- Zvonareva falls to 5-6 lifetime in Tour singles finals; her titles came at Birmingham and Cincinnati in 2006, Memphis in 2005 and 2004 and Bol in 2003; though she is 5-6 in finals she has seven runner-up finishes (she gave Daniilidou a walkover at Hobart this year due to a left ankle injury).
- Sharapova now improves her head-to-head record with Zvonareva to 5-3 (her previous meeting with her compatriot came in the fourth round of Indian Wells last year, with Zvonareva triumphing in three sets).
- Sharapova and Zvonareva were competing in the 12th all-Russian singles final in Sony Ericsson WTA Tour history; the last one took place in January 2007, when Chakvetadze defeated Bardina for the Hobart title.
- Sharapova remains at No.5 in the world rankings despite her title triumph; Zvonareva is set to rise from No.27 to No.21 after her runner-up finish.
- Peschke and Stubbs win their fourth Tour doubles title in tandem and first of 2008; Peschke wins her 12th career doubles title, while Stubbs captures her 59th; Stubbs is No.12 on the all-time list of Tour doubles title winners (Lisa Raymond is currently No.11 with 65 career Tour doubles titles).
Final Quotes
Maria Sharapova, 2008 Qatar Total Open singles champion:
“I was kind of sleeping in the beginning but I got my feet going. I had so many opportunities at the start of the second set but didn't take them, and she's the type of player that plays better when she's down; I have seen it before. The first game of the third was important. I got myself going by winning some of the long points in that game and things started changing from there. I didn't feel I played my best tennis today - it was very up and down - but I found something to get me going and came out of it with a win. When you've got five matches in five days you can't expect to play your best every day."