Beijing, China (Sports Network) - Victoria Azarenka cruised past Maria
Sharapova to capture the China Open title on Sunday.
The top-seeded Azarenka beat Sharapova, the No. 2 seed, by a 6-3, 6-1 margin
to claim her fifth title of 2012.
In addition to her victories over Sharapova in finals at the Australian Open
and Indian Wells, the Belarus native also won in Sydney and Doha. She is 5-3
in finals for the year and 13-11 lifetime.
Meanwhile, Sharapova fell to 27-18 all-time in title matches, including a 3-5
mark this year. The Russian star has not won since the clay season in the
spring when she followed up the Stuttgart crown with titles in Rome and the
French Open. She was also the runner-up in Miami and at the Olympics in
addition to her losses to Azarenka in Melbourne and Indian Wells.
Sunday's final marked the pair's fifth meeting this year. Azarenka has won
four of those matchups, including a semifinal triumph at the U.S. Open.
The other three matchups this year came in finals -- Azarenka winning at the
Australian Open and Indian Wells with Sharapova taking the crown in Stuttgart.
Azarenka owns a 7-4 lifetime mark against Sharapova, including 5-1 in finals.
The two also met in the round of 32 at this event in 2009 with Sharapova
earning a three-set win.
The 23-year-old Azarenka did not drop a set all week.
The Sports Network