Maria Sharapova was crowned the champion in the Qatar Total Open which was held from 18^th February to 24^th February at Khalifa  International Complex. Maria earned $414000 from this championship as prize money.

She defeated fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 for the Qatar Total Open title, but the important thing is she won and kept her perfect season intact as she extended her match record this year to 14-0.

This is Sharapova’s second title at Doha, previously she won the tournament in 2005. Also, it’s her 18th career title and second of the year following her triumph at the Australian Open last month.

The 23-year-old Zvonareva played her second final of the season, and was trying for her sixth singles title. Zvonareva took home $211,000.

 Qatar Tennis Federation deserved kudos for hosting this tournament which has now upgraded by the WTA. During all the days of the matches, there was unprecedented rush of tennis fans as the sport has become more popular in the country.

 In November this year, another big tournament of Sony Ericsson tour is planned to be held in Doha.

Earlier the fancied Ana Ivanovic beat world No.50 Olga  6-3, 6-1 to move into the third round of the Qatar Total Open, but the top seed’s victory was accompanied by what seemed to be quite a serious ankle injury. vanovic was only two points from victory, she fell and twisted her ankle. The world number three then laid on the court with tears in her eyes and the face expression that suggested she was in great pain. However, after receiving a medical aid, Ivanovic decided to try to finish the match, and she was fortunate to be able to finish it very quickly.

Unseeded Zvonareva reached her second final of the year with a 3-6 6-3 6-3 win over China's Na Li, while Sharapova avenged her tough 2007 US Open loss to Agnieszka Radwanska with a 6-4 6-3 victory over the Polish teenager.

To win the semifinal match against China's Na Li, world No.27 Zvonareva battled back from a break down in both the second and third sets. Zvonareva, who has won five titles in Tier III events.

The three-times Grand Slam champion Sharapova has been impressive this season, having improved to perfect 13-0 win loss record, which includes a run through the Australian Open last month. In the 92-minute semifinal against seed No.16 Radwanska, Sharapova broke her opponent five times and had a great first serve percentage of 71.

The two Russians have met each other on the court seven times so far, and Sharapova leads 4-3. Their last match was at Indian Wells last year, when Zvonareva won 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

The Indian sensation Sania Mirza bowed out of the championship when she  got fifth seed Anna Chakvetadze lost 7-6(7) 6-4 in the second round of the $2.5 million Qatar Total Open to China's world No.29 Na Li.

In other  previous round matches, Chakvetadze's second consecutive early exit from a tournament after she had won the  winning the Open Gaz  in  France earlier. France’s Marion Bartoli could not properly manage herself the of matches she played in Wimbledon where she was the runner-up. At the Qatar Total Open, the eighth seed lost in straight sets 6-2 6-3 to 17-year-old Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. Wozniacki was one of the young players to watch.

 Results:  singles:

Semi-finals:vera Zvonareva( Russia)b Na Li (China) 3-6,6-3,6-3

Maria Sharapova( Russia) b Agnieszka Radwanska

 Quarter finals;

Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat  Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia, 6-4, 6-7 (1), 6-4

Vera Zvonareva, Russia, beat Sybille Bammer (15), Austria, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0

Maria Sharapova Russia beat Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark, 6-0, 6-1.

Li Na, China beat. Jelena Jankovic (3), Serbia, 6-3, 6-4.

Results: Doubles

Quarter-finals

Cara Black, Zimbabwe, and Liezel Huber , United States beat Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual  Spain, 6-2, 6-7 (1), 10-2 tie break.

Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, and Vera Zvonareva, Russia, beat Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung -Taiwan, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 tiebreak.

Semi-finals

Kveta Peschke, Czech Republic, and Rennae Stubbs  Australia, beat Katarina Srebotnik, Slovenia and Ai Sugiyama  Japan, 6-2, 6-0.

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