The 23-year-old from Krakow, already by far the most successful Polish women's player ever, has yet to win a grand slam event but with nine WTA titles to her name that seems only a matter of time.

"It's a great feeling to win a tournament like this here in Miami. It's the biggest tournament after grand slams, especially with all the top players here." "You have to play six very good matches to win this tournament. So I'm just extremely happy," added Radwanska, who also won a top-level event earlier this year in Beijing.

Radwanska, who didn't lose a set in the tournament, beat Sharapova by making her work hard and think hard by using a variety of strokes that clearly frustrated the Russian.

That approach has become her trademark.

"I think my tennis, it's just about trying to mix it up. I think I was born with that. So it's never been one shot or one thing. When we practice, we practice everything. That's what we were doing all my life pretty much," she said.

What Radwanska lacks in terms of a big serve, she more than makes up for in intelligent positional play and crafty variations of speed and spin.

While she plays down her progress, in beating world number two Sharapova, who she had lost to seven times in the previous eight meetings, Radwanska highlighted the improvements she has made in the past 12 months.

"I really played well today, you know, from the beginning until the end. I was really focusing on my serve, and I'm very happy I didn't lose my serve. It was actually I think the key in this match.

"But it's just a great feeling to beat those kind of players, especially in the final and playing great tennis," she said.

Sharapova says she hopes to put the disappointment of losing her second-straight final on hard courts behind her with a strong showing this year in the upcoming clay court season.

"I feel like I've improved with every year that I have been playing on it (clay) and I enjoy it," said Sharapova, after losing.

"I feel like you learn so much about the construction of the points and the games — such a cat-and-mouse game.

"I didn't necessarily like that many years back, but I feel like I'm much better at it and I have improved physically as well." The 24-year-old Sharapova is now a four-time runner-up in Miami, having lost in the final back-to-back years twice, 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2012.

She has also lost in all three of her finals in 2012, falling twice to world number one Victoria Azarenka (Indian Wells and Australian Open) and now to Radwanska in straight sets.

"It's only 30 minutes after you lose, so it is not the easiest thing in the world," Sharapova said.

"But, these last two tournaments are always the toughest just because they're so close together and playing six matches in an event.

"I'm looking forward to taking a little break now and getting on the clay and starting the practice." Sharapova has a 30-9 career record at the French Open, the next Grand Slam tournament of the season, with her best result being two semi-final appearances, last year and in 2007.

Shoulder and elbow injuries prevented Sharapova from playing in Miami for three years, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

But she says the right shoulder problem that gave her so much trouble in the past is behind her now.

"My shoulder feels really good," she said. "I'm really happy that I got over that injury."