It will be an all-Russian affair on Sunday in the championship match at the Qatar Total Open.
Fourth seed Maria Sharapova has reached the Tier I final, along with her countrywoman Vera Zvonareva.
Sharapova has been near perfect this week in Doha, improving her 2008 record to 13-0. She found sweet revenge on Saturday against Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, the woman who upset her at the US Open last season, by defeating her in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 for a berth in the last round.
Only weeks after suffering a left ankle injury, Vera Zvonareva has played some of the best tennis of her career at a major tournament. Zvonareva rallied to defeat China’s Na Li in the semifinals after surrendering the first set 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Regardless of her results in the final, Sharapova cannot move any higher than her current ranking of No. 5. If Zvonareva wins the title tomorrow, she is projected to move from No. 27 to No. 20. A finalist finish would boost her to No. 21.
