Flashback: The Last Time Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic Met in a Final

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Flashback: The Last Time Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic Met in a Final

Way back in 2008, Ana Ivanovic was considered by many to be the game's brightest rising star, while Maria Sharapova was in search of a revival.

Statisfaction: Looking at Maria Sharapova's Clay-Court Dominance

Though the Russian, then just 20 years of age, had already held the No. 1 ranking and claimed two Grand Slam titles, her recent run-in with shoulder problems and a drop to No. 5 in the world had many wondering if the new generation—spearheaded by a new breed of WTA power players like Ivanovic—was in the process of supplanting the old.

But Sharapova would prove them all wrong as she returned to the podium at the Grand Slam stage following an impressive two-week period in which she took out four of the world's top eleven players without dropping a set. Most impressive of all those victories was her 6-4, 6-0 beatdown of Justine Henin in the quarterfinals. Henin had defeated Sharapova in six of their last seven matches but Sharapova ruthlessly dispatched the Belgian with a frightening display of power tennis.

Though Ivanovic didn't claim a set against Sharapova in the final, she was the player who pushed Sharapova the most during the Aussie fortnight. Her game would continue to blossom in 2008, as the Serb went on to claim the Indian Wells title, and later her first and only Grand Slam at Roland Garros. After Roland Garros, Ivanovic would hold the World No. 1 ranking for a brief spell.

Sunday's meeting at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart will be the tenth meeting between the two former No. 1's. Just like their 2008 Australian Open final meeting, Sharapova holds the edge. She has a 7-2 career edge against Ivanovic and has won six straight since falling to Ana in the French Open semifinals in 2007.

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