Maria Sharapova has become Australian Open champion a second time, beating Ana Ivanović in straight sets (7:5,6:3).

It is Sharapova's second Grand Slam title altogether, while for Ivanović, it was the second Grand Slam final defeat in the space of a year.

The final lasted 91 minutes.

Sharapova broke first in game five to move 3:2 up, but Ivanović soon brought it back to 4:4. However, Sharapova broke again three games later and this time there was no way back for the Serb, as the Russian wrapped up the first set.

The second set began in a similarly tight fashion, with both players committing a lot of unforced errors, until with the score at 3-3, Sharapova made the decisive break.

Ivanović seemed disheartened, and she was never able to pull herself back into the match, as the Russian no.4 seed cruised through the last two games with relative ease to claim the winner’s cheque of USD 1.37mn.

After the match a tearful Ivanović told a press conference, ”It hurts a bit, but I’m sure I’ll pull through. I felt better today than I did at the Roland Garros final. Obviously I’m a bit disappointed, but I hope there are still a lot of Grand Slam finals ahead of me.”

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