Fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska captured her first WTA Premier Mandatory title on Saturday, defeating No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova 7-5, 6-4 in the Sony Ericsson Open final.
Radwanska saved all three break points she faced, and broke the Russian at the end of each set to claim victory in one hour and 44 minutes, ending a six-match losing streak to Sharapova. The 23 year old finished her Miami run without dropping a set en route to winning her ninth career title.
The triumph marked Radwanska’s second in 2012, after lifting the trophy in Dubai (d. Georges). The World No. 4 is the 13th different winner in event history, becoming the first Polish woman to finish in the winners’ circle. She improved to 26-4 season record, with all four of her defeats coming at the hands of top-ranked Victoria Azarenka.
Sharapova dropped to a 0-4 final record at Crandon Park, having finished runner-up in 2005, 2006 and 2011. She was contesting her 40th WTA title match and was aiming to win her 25th crown. This year, the three-time Grand Slam champion reached the final at the Australian Open and Indian Wells, falling to Azarenka on both occasions.
