Serena destroys Sharapova to win title

MELBOURNE, Jan 27 (Reuters) Serena Williams destroyed Russian top seed Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-2 in the Australian Open final today to clinch her eighth grand slam title.

Unseeded after a year plagued by injury and dismissed by many as merely a dangerous floater at the start of the tournament, the American made a mockery of the rankings by tearing the US Open champion apart in just 63 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Sharapova, who will be world number one next week, became the sixth seed to fall to the 25-year-old Williams, who greeted her success by rolling on to her back and punching the air with delight.

''I would like to dedicate this win to my sister Yetunde, she's not here but I love her very much,'' said a tearful Williams whose sister missed the tournament through injury.

''I said if I won this it would be for her,'' she added after receiving the trophy for the third time.

Williams, 2003 and 2005 Australian Open champion, posted her intent by sealing the opening game with an ace and she broke the Sharapova serve immediately when the Russian netted a loose forehand.

The American then held to love and the warnings signs were there for a Sharapova collapse when she lost her own serve to love to trail 4-0.

Sharapova at least carved out a break point in the next game before Williams extended her lead to 5-0 and the 2004 Wimbledon champion finally stopped the rot when she held to love to make it 5-1.

The first rally of that game saw Williams at her fired-up best, appearing to mouth ''You'll pay for that'' after Sharapova blasted a smash into the world number 81's body.

Pay for it she did with another service break at the start of the second set as her hopes of becoming her country's first women's Australian Open champion disappeared in a blaze of stunning Williams strokes.

Another unforced error gave Williams the double break at 3-0 and even though Sharapova held for 4-1 and 5-2, nothing could stop Williams becoming the second unseeded woman in the professional era to lift the title following Chris O'Neill's success in 1978.

''You can never under-estimate her, not many people expected her to reach the final but I did, she's an amazing champion,'' said Sharapova after her first defeat in a grand slam final.

''I look forward to playing here many more times and winning a few more games I hope.'' REUTERS PM BST1004