WTA: First title after ban on doping: Sharapova triumphs in Tianjin

Maria Sharapova is back on the winner’s list: The Russian won the final of Tianjin against Aryna Sabalenka in two short sets.

Maria Sharapova (Russia) celebrated her first WTA Tour win in Tianjin/China for almost two and a half years.The former world number one won the final against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 7:5,7:6 (10:8) and improved by her 36th place.Title in the world ranking by 29 places to 57th place.Rank.

In April, Sharapova’s 15-month ban on doping due to abuse of the meldonium had expired.The 30-year-old, who started with a wildcard in Tianjin, had her last success so far on 17.May 2015 in Rome.At the last US Open she had given her Grand Slam comeback after a 19-month abstinence and had failed in the last sixteen.

In China, the five-time Major winner had to do a lot of hard work.It took Sharapowa 2:05 hours in her first duel with the eleven-year-old Sabalenka to secure a cheque for 111,164 dollars (approximately 94,000 euros). The five-time major winner also took 280 World Ranking List points.

In the second round, Sharapova even fought his way back after a 5-1 deficit and finished the tournament without losing the set.Sabalenka missed her first win in the tournament, but on Monday she will be placed in the WTA ranking for the first time in the Top 100.Overall, the favourite proved to be the better serve, serving seven aces, while Sabalenka only managed one.

For the Russian russian, she continues at a high speed: after competing in Beijing and Tianjin, Sharapova will take part in the Kremlin Cup in Moscow for the first time in ten years.The 30-year-old was drawn in the first round of the game Magdalena Rybarikova.The Slovakian also has final commitments this Sunday: She will meet Barbora Strycova in Linz.

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