Australian Open 2012: What Maria Sharapova Must Do To Win 4th Grand Slam

The key to Maria Sharapova beating Victoria Azarenka and winning her fourth Grand Slam title is actually quite simple.

If she follows a simple strategy, Sharapova will walk away from Australia with a relatively easy victory and second title down under. 

Limit Double Faults

Sharapova is in the finals despite 30 double faults throughout the tournament and 10 in her win against Petra Kvitova. That kind of performance is not going to work against Azarenka. 

No, Sharapova is not going to win all of her service points. That is fine, but she has to make Azarenka earn the points. Double faults are the worst thing that tennis players can do. They are the definition of beating yourself. If you are in the Australian Open Final, it means that you're facing an opponent that doesn't need any help.

The other advantage to not double faulting is that it probably means you're not getting broken much, if at all. Azarenka herself is not a particularly strong server of the ball. So if Sharapova doesn't beat herself on serve, it will put extra pressure on Azarenka to hold serve. 

Get Up Early 

If Sharapova wins the first set, she'll win the match. It can't be overstated that this is Azarenka's first appearance in a Grand Slam final. The best chance someone in this spot has of winning is for them to get up early and gain confidence. 

If Sharapova wins the first set, it not only gives her confidence, but also will lead to some self-doubt from Azarenka. 

On the other side of the fence, Sharapova is clearly an emotional player. If you watch one of her matches, you know exactly what she's feeling at every moment. That isn't the kind of temperament best suited to come back in a Grand Slam final. 

Look at her five previous Grand Slam finals appearances and you'll see all the proof you'll ever need.

Tournament	Opponent	Result
2004 Wimbledon	Serena Williams	W: 6-1, 6-4
2006 US Open	Justine Henin	W: 6-4, 6-4
2007 Australian Open	Serena Williams	L: 1-6, 2-6
2008 Australian Open	Ana Ivanovic	W: 7-5, 6-3
2011 Wimbledon	Petra Kvitova	L: 3-6, 4-6

When she's won Grand Slam finals, Sharapova hasn't dropped a set. When she's lost them, Sharapova hasn't won a set. Do not be surprised if that trend continues.

Play to Azarenka's Forehand

If Azarenka wins, it will be her backhand that takes her to victory. The success that Azarenka has enjoyed in her career has come from that deadly backhand. Her forehand is nowhere near as lethal to opponents. 

If Sharapova can keep Azarenka running around and not let her set, it will mean that Sharapova is dictating the pace and the shots that are being hit. That will lead to a quick final. 

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