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

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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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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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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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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The 19-year-old Azarenka won her first WTA Tour singles title earlier this year by winning the Brisbane International.

The world No.14 Belorussian is now 13-1 this season. That only loss this year was against Serena Williams at the Australian Open, when Azarenka disappointingly had to retire from the fourth-round match due to dizziness and illness.

Interestingly, after the singles final, Azarenka and Wozniacki teamed up in the doubles final and defeated Yuliana Fedak and Michaela Krajicek.

Victoria Azarenka is projected to reach a career-best ranking of No.11. (photo via RMK Championships)

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You must remember Kudryavtseva, she upset Maria Sharapova in the second round of Wimbledon 2008.

Krajicek, who missed most of last year with an injury, is currently ranked 201st. She was offered a wild card for the Memphis qualifications at the last minute, arrived at 1 am, and played her first qualification match that morning.

Krajicek has recently moved to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and is training full-time with her coach Allistair McCaw, while also taking advantage of the services of Nick Bollettieri, the IMG Performance Institute, and Bollettieri Sports Medicine.

The 20-year-old Krajicek will face Kristina Barrois of Germany in the second round of Memphis. (source: Nick’s Picks)

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Since the comeback, Davenport has won Bali, Quebec City and Auckland, and on Saturday the Tier III tournament in Memphis.

Govortsova, who was playing her first career singles final, didn't stand a chance against the veteran who came in ranked only three slots ahead of her at No.49.

Winning the title, Davenport became tied with Virginia Wade at No.7 on the all-time list of Tour singles title winners. "I've never been one to look at records or anything, but it all seems surreal. I love being up there with the greatest player(s) that ever played. I can't believe I passed Monica (Seles). Monica was my idol for years and years," said Davenport.

On her way to the trophy, fourth-seeded Davenport defeated Sabine Lisicki (revenging her recent Fed Cup loss), Evgeniya Rodina, sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki, Marina Erakovic, and finally fifth seed Govortsova. (source: ESPN, photo: RMK Championships)

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Defeating the six-time singles Grand Slam champion 2-6 6-4 6-3, Kvitova won only the second WTA Tour match of her career. Additionally, the 17-year-old, ranked 143rd, played in only her 14 career WTA match.

"She had a good serve and she was left-handed," world No.8 Williams said. "She mixed it up really well. I'm not happy about the result of the match, but she played well."

In the other upset, Mattek, a 22-year-old ranked 131st, played one of the best matches of her career defeating France’s world No.13 Tatiana Golovin 6-4 6-4.

"Honestly, I was really seeing the ball really well and I was there to every shot she hit," Mattek said. "I just stuck to my game plan. My goal was to get on top and get as many points right away as I could. I just came out firing." (source: ESPN, photos: Getty Images)

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