BNP Paribas Open: Maria Sharapova batters Caroline Wozniacki to take Indian Wells title

BNP Paribas Open: Maria Sharapova batters Caroline Wozniacki to take Indian Wells title

The 25-year-old Russian will move up to number two in the world rankings after reaching her first final of the year, and in a battle of two former Indian Wells champions and two former world number ones there was an emphatic winner.

Sharapova broke Wozniacki twice in each set to power away in just an hour and 21 minutes and she was hardly troubled, facing just two break points on her own serve.

2006 champion Sharapova had not lost a set in the tournament heading into the final, and she made the perfect start as she broke the Wozniacki serve to love in the very first game.

A second break in the seventh game put her 5-2 in front and she had no problem in serving out to take a one-set lead and have the Danish star in deep trouble.

Sharapova repeated the dose in the second set by breaking in the opening game, and again a second break later on led to exactly the same outcome.

"This is what I do all the work for is these moments," said Sharapova. "What makes it so special is when you end up as the champion, that's why I am smiling.

"When you have days like this it's a really nice feeling because everything has paid off."

Sharapova took her winning record against Wozniacki to 5-2 with her most emphatic victory yet - she hit 33 winners in the match as opposed to just a meagre two from the struggling Dane.

Wozniacki paid tribute to Sharapova's performance, and just hopes to exact revenge at next week's Masters event in Miami.

"Maria played really well, better than me," Wozniacki admitted. "Get my revenge hopefully in Miami, maybe we will play in the final there as well."