DOHA — Maria Sharapova claimed her second title of the year and the 18th of her career when she defeated unseeded Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in an all-Russian final at the Qatar Open yesterday.

The Australian Open champion, who extended her unbeaten run this year to 14 matches, lost to Zvonareva in their last meeting at Indian Wells 11 months ago and after dominating the opening set once again found herself in trouble against her former top ten opponent.

Playing in a packed 5,000-seat stadium, fourth seed Sharapova made a dreadful start, dropping the opening game to love.

But she repaired the situation immediately, leveling at 1-1 and then overwhelming her opponent with her deep groundstrokes and powerful forehand.

Moving with increasing fluency, her aggressive play forced a number of errors from Zvonareva and allowed her to break twice more for the set, and it appeared as if she would continue on to an easy victory.

But the second set saw a complete reversal.

A double-fault gave Zvonareva a break for 2-0 after Sharapova had led the game 40-0, and her aggressive groundstrokes forced the struggling favorite into a succession of errors. Making just three unforced errors, Zvonareva dominated the set and broke again to level the match on her fifth set point.

The pendulum swung again in the final set, as a determined Sharapova raised her level once more, taking control from the first game and surrendering just eight points in the remainder of the match.

Llodra Lifts Fourth

Rotterdam Title for France

Michael Llodra lifted the fourth title for France at the Rotterdam Open yesterday, winning with a 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) comeback over Swede Robin Soderling.

The victory in two hours, eight minutes added Llodra’s name to those of compatriots Cedric Pioline (2000 champion) and Nicolas Escude, who claimed the next two editions.

Llodra now stands alongside Andy Murray as the only player with two titles this season after winning Adelaide at the start of the year.

“It’s been an unbelievable week for me,” said the 58th-ranked winner, who claimed the Wimbledon doubles title last summer and reached the Australian Open doubles final in January.

Llodra has been going all-out this season, playing in his 23rd match of 2008 including doubles. He has had lees than a week off.

He took treatment on his back during the second set while leading Soderling by a break.

The pair slugged it out in an ace-fest, Soderling striking 22 while Llodra fired 15.

Soderling was playing in only his second event of the past six months after a wrist injury which kept him off the court until last week in Marseille.

Soderling last won an ATP title three years ago in Milan, the second of his career.

The event had boasted an all-star lineup headed by Rafael Nadal, Murray and Lleyton Hewitt, with all seeds out by the end of the second round.