TOKYO, 7 February 2005 — Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova beat a hobbling Lindsay Davenport 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 to win the Pan Pacific Open yesterday.
The Russian converted her fourth match point to take the third set tiebreak 7-5 and halt Davenport’s bid for a record fifth title at the $1.3 million event.
Sharapova’s eighth career title means she will rise from fourth to third when the new world rankings are released today.
“I had belief in myself,” she told reporters. “I don’t want to set a timetable for myself to be number one. My job’s just to go out and perform.” It had looked as though Sharapova would run away with the match as she took the first set in just 22 minutes in Tokyo.
Martinez Wins First Title in Five Years
In Pattaya, Thailand, former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez beat 19-year-old German Anna Lena Groenefeld 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 yesterday to win the Thai Open, and then donated her winning racket to a charity auction to raise money for Thai tsunami victims. It was the 32-year-old Spaniard’s first title since she lifted the German Open in 2000, and was achieved by a consistent performance against an aggressive opponent playing her first career final.
Malisse Overcomes Spadea to Set Up Novak Final
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Belgian Xavier Malisse surprised top seed Vince Spadea in straight sets to reach his third Millennium International Tennis Championships final at Delray Beach, Florida, on Saturday.
The third-seeded Malisse broke his American opponent six times on the way to a 7-5, 6-4 victory and will meet second seed Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic in final.
Novak advanced with a routine 6-3, 6-3 win over unseeded South African Wesley Moodie.
Rain delayed Malisse’s match with Spadea three times but he maintained his concentration to oust last year’s losing finalist.
“It was a strange match, up and down, lots of breaks in the second set,” Malisse said.
The drizzle was “pretty tough” on both players, said Malisse, who will be seeking his first ATP title in seven final appearances.
