Russian papers react to Sharapova win

"Ave, Maria!" shouted Izvestia. Evening newspaper Vechernyaya Moskya headlined with a nationalist twist: "Good Masha, You're Still Ours. Russia heralded Maria Sharapova victory at the WTA Championships this week as souvenir supplements highlighted the countries success on the major stage in 2004.



"Maria Sharapova won the final victorious point of the best season ever for Russian tennis," the business daily Kommersant commented.



Izvestia compared her dramatic win over Serena Williams to a "high-budget thriller".



Pointing out that it would go down in sports history because it was "even better than the legendary semi-final" between Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon.



Vremya Novostei, the populist daily, thought Sharapova "accomplished a mission impossible" as she carried six straight games in the decisive third set after being down 4-0.



The newspaper continued, Sharapova "has always underscored that she is a real Russian and that she was defending ... the sports honour of our country."