World No. 5 Maria Sharapova seized her second chance to win the Australian Open in Melbourne Saturday while Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram became the first Israeli doubles team to win a Grand Slam title.

 

The Russian fifth seed defeated Serbian Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 6-3 to claim her third Grand Slam title after 91 minutes on the Australian Day, an Australian national holiday.

 

She added the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup to her collection after becoming a champion at Wimbledon in 2004 and the US Open in 2006.

 

Sharapova turned out to be the more consistent player of the match, hitting 16 winners but only had 15 unforced errors compared with Ivanovic's 33.

 

"So exciting. It's amazing. It's just satisfying to win a Grand Slam and to win one that you have never won before, especially after some of the tough losses," she said.

 

"I was not quite close to victory last year really, only won one game. If last year someone told me I will stand here with the big one this year, I will tell them to forget it. It was really a difficult year for me last year," said the 20-year-old.

 

Sharapova was beaten in straight sets by then unseeded Serena Williams in last year's final here.

 

Shaking off the injury bothering her last year, Sharapova produced an unstoppable run for the title, including her surprising easy win over hot favorite Justine Henin in straight sets en route.

 

"I have gained a whole new perspective for tennis and for life with my injury and the loss..." she said.

 

Sharapova made the stronger start and broke in the fifth game of the first set when Ivanovic hit a backhand long, but three games later the set was back on an even keel thanks largely to three Sharapova double faults.

 

Ivanovic then hit two scorching winners in the 10th game to go up 30-0 in her opponent's service but four subsequent errors handed the game to Sharapova and four more errors in Ivanovic's next service game provided the break Sharapova needed.

 

Down a set Ivanovic began the second in shaky fashion as the first game went to deuce five times, but she staved off two break points and stayed in the hunt for a time as scores were locked together at 3-3.

 

Ivanovic surrendered her serve in the seventh game, before Sharapova broke for a fourth time and fell to her knees in celebration when she completed victory.

 

Erlich and Andy Ram overcame Frenchmen Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra 7-5, 7-6(4) for the historic men's doubles championship after the eight seeds made their first appearance in a Grand Slam final.

 

The pair carried their good form into the final, not losing a set on their way to the victory.

 

Shahar Peer became the first Israeli woman to reach a grand slam final in the women's doubles on Friday but she and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus lost to Ukrainian sisters Kateryna and Alona Bondarenko in the final.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2008)