Sharapova all business in winning Australian Open

Maria Sharapova didn't drop a set in seven matches at Melbourne Park, including wins over three of the top four ranked players. AP

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Five quick observations after watching Maria Sharapova win her third Grand Slam title, taking out Ana Ivanovic in the final of the Australian Open.

1. Carpe diem

This was something other than a classic match, a lot of unforced errors and baseline bashing. Both players had their opportunities. The difference is that one player seized them and the other didn't. Ivanovic was two points from taking the first set. Sharapova girded for battle, came up with some clutch shotmaking and played her way of trouble. In the second set, the players split the first six games. At 3-3, Sharapova put pressure on Ivanovic's serve. Invanovic blinked. Ten or so minutes later, the match was over.

Sharapova addressed this after the match. "I mean, she's two points away from winning the first set in a Grand Slam final. You know, if you want it, take it. And she didn't." Harsh analysis. But correct.

2. Enough with the babe theme

Had you listened to the caveman commentators and read the papers, you'd think this was the 20-year-old version of the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. It was the "Glam Slam," "The Yow-zah final." Wrong. It was a tennis match. And a fairly unsightly one at that. For all the courtside cameras, Sharapova is all business. There was no preening or posing or playing to the crowd. Just a gritty, businesslike performance.

3. The offseason matters

We can debate whether the tennis offseason is sufficiently long (it's not), but one of the beauties of the Australian Open is that it rewards professionalism -- and punishes sloth. Sharapova spent December not on a beach or a catwalk but on practice courts in Florida and California. Apart from improving her fitness -- remember how often she wilted in the Australian heat in years past? -- she arrived with an upgraded serve, an improved slice and abundant confidence. The payoff was obvious.

4. Ivanovic: Buy, sell or hold?

When the rankings come out on Monday, Ivanovic will be No. 2, this on the heels of her second Grand Slam final appearance in eight months. Still, there are unanswered questions here. Ivanovic scored a big win against Venus Williams in the quarterfinals. But lost eight straight games to start her semifinal match, before rallying to win. And Saturday, she played an anxious, error-filled match (33 versus 15 for her opponent). She's only 20 and there's a lot of game here. But she still needs to take that next step.

5. The plot thickens

Last fall, Sharapova had crashed out of the U.S. Open, completing a brutal Slam campaign. And the buzzards were circling. One former Grand Slam champion implored, "Mark my words; she's is big trouble." Yet after healing her shoulder -- and, not coincidentally, repairing her confidence -- Sharapova is back and better than ever. She's serving well, pounding the ball from the baseline, and, as usual, competing as though her life depends on her match results. She absolutely tore through this draw, beating the first, third, fourth, and eleventh seed (and Lindsay Davenport) without dropping a set. Suddenly, a month into 2008, she is the player to beat in women's tennis. The plots change quickly in this reality show ...