While fans swooned and photographers frantically debated which tennis beauty to point their lens at, Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic put forth an impressive display of skill, determination, sportsmanship and eloquence in the 2008 Australian Open women’s final.

For all the hype that surrounded the obvious aesthetic appeal and marketability of the encounter, these two remarkable competitors quickly reminded us that it was, above all, a tennis match, and a good one at that.

Sharapova was the clear favourite heading in after she breezed through a very difficult draw that included such obstacles as Justine Henin, Lindsay Davenport and third-ranked Jelena Jankovic – tests that the Russian passed with incredible ease.

'Sharapova's crown is testament to her strict off-season training regime that enabled her to improve fitness and footwork and rediscover her serve.'


Following an inspired victory over Venus Williams, Ivanovic found herself in the jaws of defeat against Daniela Hantuchova in the semi-final, but mounted an improbable comeback to earn a berth in her second Slam final.

The delightful Serb gave her many fans around the world reason to be proud as she went toe to toe with Sharapova  who is arguably the most intimidating player on the tour when at her best. And Ivanovic had her chances to derail the mighty Maria, but just couldn’t convert them.

In the end, it was Sharapova who proved to her critics that she could handle the pressure of being the favourite to win a major and showed the heart of a champion en route to her third Grand Slam crown.

The blonde bombshell played great tennis during the fortnight, a testament to her strict off-season training regime that enabled her to improve fitness and footwork and rediscover her serve.

What a difference a year makes – after being utterly dismantled by Serena Williams in last year’s final and struggling with various setbacks throughout her 2007 campaign, Sharapova was all but left for a has been. Now, she finds herself one win away from completing the coveted Grand Slam, a feat that so few have accomplished.

Sharapova claims she has yet to reach her peak, a telling statement from a young woman who seems to have new lease on her tennis life.

“No matter how many tough times or bad days I'm going to have, as long as I wake up in the morning and can't wait to get that tennis racquet out of my bag, I'll always be looking forward to improving,” Sharapova reflected after the match.

Ivanovic is the most likely candidate to rival Sharapova in years to come.

Each player has her own endearing qualities that will make her a formidable global leader and ambassador for tennis. What was most enjoyable about the season’s first Slam final were the gracious acceptance speeches delivered by both players during the trophy presentation. With these two standout personalities ready to take over the reins, women’s tennis certainly seems to be in good hands.

“[Maria] is a great competitor,'' Ivanovic observed. ''I'm sure she will do well in the future as well. I really feel I'm also improving my game and I'm learning how to be a top player. So I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to play against each other in the final of a Grand Slam.''