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Sharapova proves she can win another Slam

No. 2-seed Henin-Hardenne falls 6-4, 6-4, praises teen champion

Image: Maria SharapovaGetty Images
Russia's Maria Sharapova holds up the championship trophy after her straight set victory over Justine Henin-Hardene of Belgium at the U.S. Open on Saturday.

Two games into the final, a man’s voice came from the sellout crowd of 23,712, screaming the tag line from Sharapova’s oft-played current TV ad: “I feel pretty!” In the commercial, that tune is sung by various people as Sharapova walks out onto court. The punch line: Sharapova swings her racket and lets out one of her trademark shrieks.

Those high-pitched screams were muted at the start of the match, but within a few games, Sharapova was wailing as loudly as ever. Not that Henin-Hardenne was silent, punctuating winners with, “Allez!”

Sharapova won the coin toss and elected to receive, then went out and stood right at the baseline while Henin-Hardenne hit practice serves at the end of the warmup session. Picture Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter taking batting practice against Red Sox starter Curt Schilling — it just doesn’t happen in other sports.

Perhaps Sharapova noticed something, because she immediately earned two break points in the opening game. Henin-Hardenne saved both, then broke for a 2-0 edge with the aid of two double-faults by Sharapova, who never faced another break point.

But Sharapova broke right back, helped by the shot of the evening: a half-volley drop winner to close a 10-stroke exchange. That was enough to claim the first set.

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With the outcome still in doubt at 3-3 in the second set, Sharapova won eight of nine points to break Henin-Hardenne for the third time — yelling “Come on!” as she ran to the changeover — then hold for a 5-3 edge.

“Come on!” from someone born in Siberia? Well, Sharapova has made her home in Florida since she was 7. After calling her mom with a cell phone while waiting for the trophy ceremony, Sharapova leaned forward in her chair and said, “This is crazy!”

During her comments to the crowd, Sharapova thanked Billie Jean King for her work for women in tennis, including for equal prize money. Sharapova earned $1.7 million with her victory, although she makes far more from endorsement deals than prize money.

Clearly, she finds more gratification in trophies.

“You can’t buy a Grand Slam title, you know?” Sharapova said. “You can’t buy it.”

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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