By Chris Oddo | Sunday October 15, 2017
Maria Sharapova claimed her first title since May of 2015 by winning the Tianjin Open on Sunday.
Photo Source: AFP
Maria Sharapova is back in the winner’s circle.
The Russian claimed her first title since since returning from a 15-month doping suspension this spring on Sunday with a 7-5, 7-6(8) win over Aryna Sabalenka at the Tianjin Open.
It was Sharapova’s first title since she claimed the Rome crown in May of 2015 and the Russian will rise inside the Top 60 as a result of the title.
19-year-old Sabalenka acquitted herself nicely in the final and marched out to grand leads in each set. After dropping the first game of the opener she took four games on the trot but could not hold on to take the first set.
In the second set she had an even bigger lead at 5-1 and served twice for the set but could not hold off the determined Russian.
Sharapova saved a set point at 5-4 before holding to level at five-all.
A trade of breaks took the pair to a second-set tiebreaker and Sharapova claimed a wild tiebreaker by converting her fourth match point to seal the title at the two hour and five minute mark.