Mighty Maria takes the title

Maria Sharapova has claimed her third Grand Slam singles title with victory over Ana Ivanovic in the Australian Open 2008 women's singles final at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

Already a champion at Wimbledon in 2004 and the US Open in 2006, Sharapova now has three of the four majors in her trophy cabinet heading to the French Open after adding the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup to her collection with a 7-5 6-3 win over Ivanovic.

Seeded No.1 a year ago, Sharapova was beaten in straight sets in the decider by unseeded American Serena Williams, and the Russian No.5 seed also tasted defeat in the girls' singles final back in 2002 in two sets.

But it was a case of third-time lucky for the 20-year-old as she took her overall win-loss record against Serbian No.4 seed Ivanovic to 3-2 with the 91-minute triumph and completed an almost flawless fortnight in which she did not lose a set.

Ivanovic, who also lost her maiden Grand Slam final to Justine Henin in straight sets at Roland Garros in 2007, will be left to lament a stack of unforced errors as she hit 33 for the match to Sharapova's 15.

Sharapova made the stronger start and grabbed the momentum with a break in the fifth game when Ivanovic hit a backhand long, but three games later the set was back on an even keel thanks largely to three Sharapova double faults.

Ivanovic then hit two scorching winners in the 10th game to set up another break opportunity at 0-30 but four subsequent errors handed the game to Sharapova and four more errors in Ivanovic's next service game provided the break Sharapova needed.

Down a set Ivanovic began the second in shaky fashion as the first game went to deuce five times, but she staved off two break points and stayed in the hunt for a time as scores were locked together at 3-3.

Sharapova had been holding serve more comfortably though and the pressure eventually took its toll as Ivanovic surrendered her serve in the seventh game, before Sharapova broke for a fourth time and fell to her knees in celebration when she completed victory.