Williams crushes Sharapova to take third Australian Open

Unseeded Serena Williams swatted aside top seed and world number one Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2 in the Australian Open final to win her eighth Grand Slam.

Sharapova had no answer to Williams' booming serve and blistering returns as the American completed a fairytale return from injury with a third Australian title to join her 2003 and 2005 trophies.

Coming into the final as the underdog, the 25-year-old made a mockery of her world ranking of 81 to humiliate Sharapova and become the first unseeded player since 1978 to claim the Australian title.

With the roof of the Rod Laver Arena closed because of drizzle, the early signs were good for Williams, as it was during her previous victories at the tournament.

Serving first, she signalled her intentions when she fired down an ace to take the opening game.

The American was a picture of steely intent, showing none of the lapses in concentration that forced her to fight back from a set down twice in the tournament.

She drew first blood with a break in the second game when the serving woes that have dogged Sharapova's campaign continued and she double faulted twice to put the American ahead.

Williams punished Sharapova's tentative serve with sizzling returns and she stunned the Russian with another break to go up 4-0 after just 14 minutes,

Sharapova desperately sought a way back into the game and dug deep to take Williams to break point in the fifth game, only for her opponent to ease back on the throttle and bamboozle her with a looping drop shot and take the game.

The shell-shocked Russian accidentally hit a ball directly at her opponent in the next, when she finally managed to defend her serve, but only managed to fire up Williams further.

Williams served out the set after 26 minutes and Sharapova's woes continued when she double faulted to open the second.

The American continued to dominate the world number one, breaking Sharapova in the first game then holding her own serve with an ace.

Any doubts about her fitness were quickly dispelled as she leapt around the court, changing directions to reach return and charging to the net.

It was 10 games and 43 minutes into the match before Sharapova served an ace and less than 50 percent of her first serves were successful.

She clung on to defend her serve twice in the second set but could do little against the Williams onslaught, muttering "too good" to herself after another rocket-powered return from her opponent.

Williams served out the match and dropped to the ground in relief then bowed to the cheering crowd after one of the most lopsided finals in recent memory.

Fashion icon Sharapova to reveal new outfit

The 19-year-old world number two earned an estimated 22 million dollars in endorsements last year, including the promotion of fashion products, and is a regular magazine covergirl, contracted to IMG Models since 2003

What she wears is watched as closely as how she plays.

Last year she set the Open on fire with her power blue baby doll nightie look, which became a must-have fashion accessory, and she said more was in store this week.

"Fashion-wise, I'm not doing baby doll any more. Baby doll has gone out the window," she said.

Asked what she had planned, she said: "It's a pretty classy dress. It's like a lemon chiffon colour.

"Bottom of the dress, it's like a little high waisted. I tend to pay a lot of attention to detail.

"There's a little corset detail in the back, there's a bow. My warm-up (outfit) is also really cute. You got to see it."

Earlier this month Sharapova denied she was better known for her looks than her tennis, pointing to her two Grand Slams.

"I'm happy with the way my career is going at the moment," she said. "I'm working hard on my game and I can hardly say that for the modelling.

"I have won two Slam tournaments -- I think it's all a matter of perception and opinion. I have been a tennis player since I was four years old."

Another to watch in the fashion stakes this week will be Serena Williams, known for taking on-court fashion to places others fear to tread.

At the 2002 US Open she sported a now infamous black lycra catsuit, while at the Australian Open in 2005 she unveiled a lime-green and white costume that included knee-high spaceboots with a detachable leg section that could be removed before play commenced.

Last year she confined herself to a mint-green pleated skirt and regulation-issue tanktop.

Maria on this months Teen Vogue Cover

Check out TeenVogue.com for an exclusive video of Maria behind the scenes at the TeenVogue cover shoot.

Click here to view the footage

And it's getting even better. Once you subscripe to Teen Vogue this month, you will receive a free, signed poster of Maria. Purchase now at http://www.teenvogue.com !

A Website to track Maria’s New Year Resolutions

In a new campaign to get people working out (as well as buy shoes), Nike has launched NikePlus.com, a new website that will track runners' New Year’s resolutions and challenges from friends. If they fail to keep their commitment, selected runners will face consequences and have to do weird things that their friends decided they will do before hand. But the big push here is from LeBron James and tennis star Maria Sharapova.

During the month of January, the two athletes will try to run more miles than the other. If Sharapova loses, she will have to sit behind James during a game and be his water girl. If James loses, however, he will have to be a ball boy at one Sharapova’s matches. The contest ends on January 31 and you can track their progress at NikePlus.com.

Top Ten things Maria is not good at--

1. Cooking, actually I can make cookies and they are good! but that's about where it ends.

2. Sprints, the fact that I hate them doesn't really help me!

3. Hiding my emotions

4. Icing! trainers would know what I'm talking about

5. Saying no when it comes to buying shoes

6. Packing less, simply doesn't exist in my vocabulary

7. Following someone's directions, cause they make way too many mistakes, no excuses though

8. Figuring out electronics, why can't things be easy to operate?

9. Saying 'you're right'

10. Being patient, fine i'll work on it!