Sharapova captures Rome for first title in a year

Maria Sharapova thrust herself into the title conversation for Roland Garros as the Russian hammered Australian Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-4 to win the Rome Masters with a dismissal of last year's Paris finalist Sunday. The pair had to wait out a three-hour rain delay as weather changed for the worse after days of sunshine at the Foro Italico. But once play got underway, seventh seed Sharapova wanted nothing more than to get through as the winner. She did it in 83 minutes, lifting her 23rd career trophy and second on clay. "I'm so excited to be champion here," said the semi-finalist twice before in the capital. "It means so much to me to add this trophy to my others. "Rome is such a special place, I really have dreamed of winning here and holding up this trophy. "My team has pushed me all the way, this is the beginning of more good things to come, it's a great start." The victory improved Sharapova's record over the 27-year-old Stosur to 8-0. The title was the first for Sharapova since Strasboug on clay in May, 2010, and followed on from her losing Miami final six weeks ago. The inspired Russian raced to a 4-0 lead in 14 minutes, winning 13 of the first 16 points against Stosur, losing finalist to Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the 2010 French final. Stosur got on the scoreboard for 1-4 and surprised the Russian with a break a game later. But that didn't stop Sharapova from breaking straight back for 5-2 an serving out the set a game later. The Russian seed began the second set with a break, again lost it, but recovered to take a 3-2 lead. From that point, she was never threatened on the way to her 20th win of the season. Sharapova sits in fourth place among active players for titles won, a table led by Venus Williams n 43 and will move up a spot to seventh in the world on Monday in the rankings. In the men's final, unbeaten 37-0 Novak Djokovic wasd facing five- time Rome champion Rafael Nadal. Djokovic was likely benefiting from as much rest as possible after is three-hour late night semi-final victory over Andy Murray. That dramatic result kept the Serb's 2011 win streak alive in as the Scot missed on his chance to serve out a three-set victory and Djokovic won in a tiebreaker.