Russian three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, top seed at the International-level event in Memphis, eased past Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson 6-2 6-1 to claim her first title of the 2010 season and 21st career title.

The year started with disappointment for Sharapova, as she lost in the first round of the Australian Open, but then the Russian entered this smaller tournament with the only wish to win some matches and gain confidence, and that’s what she did. Not only did the former world No.1 win the tournament, she didn’t drop one set on her way to the title, and in the final match she took nine games in a row from 2-2 to beat world No.102 Arvidsson.

The 26-year-old Arvidsson failed to win her second career title and her second at this very tournament in Memphis. (photo via Regions Morgan Keegan Champs / Cellular South Cup)

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Maria Sharapova reached the final of the Regions Morgan Keegan Champs / Cellular South Cup and is now just one win away of her first title of the season and the 21st of her career.

The top-seeded Russian won a tight first set and then rallied from 0-2 in the second set to beat fifth seed Petra Kvitova 6-4 6-3 in the semifinals. Sharapova’s opponent in the title match will be qualifier Sofia Arvidsson, who battled past Anne Keothavong 6-4 4-6 6-4.

The 102nd-ranked Arvidsson won the Memphis tournament four years ago, and has also taken out second seed Melanie Oudin at this year’s quarterfinals.

Sharapova defeated Arvidsson in the only match they played so far, but it was a long time ago, in 2003. (photo: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)

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Top seed Maria Sharapova advanced to the semifinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & the Cellular South Cup, while home favorite and second seed Melanie Oudin got eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Sharapova beat eighth seed Elena Baltacha 6-2 7-5 and will next have No.5 seed Petra Kvitova for opponent. Kvitova defeated third seed Kaia Kanepi 1-6 6-3 7-6(0) after a tough match.

Unseeded 2006 Memphis champion Sofia Arvidsson was the one who upset American Oudin, with the final score 6-1 6-3. Arvidson's opponent in the final four will be Anne Keothavong, the Briton who reached her second straight semifinal in Memphis but is now playing her first WTA main draw event, having been sidelined by knee injury for more than six months. (photo: harjanto sumali)

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I'm sure you've all missed once-promising Nicole Vaidisova and now I'm happy to share that the Czech won one match at the Regions Morgan Keegan Champs / Cellular South Cup.

The former world No.7, a wildcard in Memphis, defeated world No.224 Laura Granville of the USA 6-4 6-2 to score both her first victory in 2010 and since her opening-round win in Barcelona last April.

Vaidisova, now ranked 192th, is playing her first WTA tournament of the season. She has competed in two ITF events this year, but lost right away at both.

"I haven't been playing much this year yet," Vaidisova said. "I've been trying to practice and work out and get back into things. I'm going to try and play indoors and see how it goes."

The only thing regarding Vaidisova that attracted the attention of the tennis audience in the recent past was her relationship with Radek Stepanek and the continual talks about how he may have been the cause of her slump.

Vaidisova, however, attributes her inconsistency to a lingering right wrist injury that has only recently healed.

"For the most part now, I have it under control," said the 20-year-old. "I'm happy about that. It's always hard when you have to worry about your wrist, or your health."

I hope the time has come to talk about her tennis successes on this blog. (via Commercial Appeal, photo: Jean-Sebastien Marceau)

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Three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharpova started the 2010 season with a first-round loss to Maria Kirilenko at the Australian Open, but has now scored a very convincing victory at the International-level event called Regions Morgan Keegan Champs / Cellular South Cup.

Top-seeded Sharapova finished her second match of the season in just 51 minutes, losing only three points on her first serve and a total of two games to defeat world No.101 Shenay Perry 6-0 6-2 and reach the second round.

The Russian world No.15 is making her second appearance in Memphis. Six years ago she reached the semifinals at the tournament. (photo Mister E)

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