Amelia Island, April 14:

Maria Sharapova overcame five double-faults and 33 unforced errors to beat Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (7), 6-3 and win the Bausch & Lomb Championships on Sunday. The top-seeded Russian became the first player on the WTA Tour to win three times in 2008. She also won the Australian Open and at Doha. Sharapova improved to 22-1 this year, earned a crystal vase and $95,500, and gained valuable experience on clay. She hopes it carries over to the Family Circle Cup in South Carolina next week and to the French Open in May.

Cibulkova, an 18-year-old Slovakian playing in her first WTA Tour final, had plenty of chances to claim an upset. She led 4-2 in the first-set tiebreaker before making two unforced errors that enabled Sharapova to recover. She also led 2-1 in the second set before summoning a physio to have her left thigh wrapped. Cibulkova believed she pulled a muscle, slowing her mobility and prompting her to try to end points early to limit running.

Sharapova took advantage, working her opponent side to side and winning five of the final six games. Cibulkova said the injury and fatigue caused her sluggishness after the opening set. Sharapova, meanwhile, was rested after getting by Lindsay Davenport in the semi-finals on a walkover. Davenport withdrew on Saturday after waking up with a fever and feeling sick.