Sharapova ready to put things right

By Greg Stutchbury

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A quest to put things right after an Australian Open final thrashing at the hands of Serena Williams last year has inspired Maria Sharapova's drive for this year's title.

The 20-year-old Russian, who was beaten by the unseeded Williams 6-1 6-2 last year, will meet fourth-seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic in Saturday's showpiece on Rod Laver Arena.

"From the beginning of the tournament, you want to go a step further than you've done in the past," Sharapova told reporters after she dispatched Jelena Jankovic in the semi-finals.

"That's always your goal, and your mantra going into a tournament, no matter where it is, no matter how small or big a tournament is."

The world number five added her performance in reaching the final of the WTA Players' Championship in Madrid after an injury-affected year and a relaxing off-season had given her confidence heading into 2008.

"Before Madrid, I just said, 'look, I'm feeling pretty good. I'm just going to go there and give it a chance'.

"I did, and I didn't really expect too much from myself that week, and I really played great tennis.

"I felt like a lot of things had come together, and the off season was great. I was able to work on the court. I played a lot of tennis. I had some fun times." Sharapova heads into the final as favorite having romped through the tournament so far without dropping a set.

She has also dispatched former world number one Lindsay Davenport and current number one Justine Henin with comparative ease, ending Henin's 32-match unbeaten streak that stretched back to Wimbledon with a 6-4 6-0 victory in the quarter-finals.

Ivanovic, who reached the French Open final at Roland Garros last year, overcame a panic attack in the first round when Romania's Sorana Cristea served for the first set and fought back from a 6-0 2-0 deficit against Daniela Hantuchova in the semi-finals.

The 20-year-old, however, said she was well aware of Sharapova's strengths and would be well prepared for the final.

"Maria has had a great tournament, and it's going to be a tough match but we are two-all and I've beaten her before so I know a little bit what to expect.

"She likes to have that first shot. So I have to be there, be there with her from the first point on and try to get that first shot.

"Obviously, I want to work a lot on my intensity from the first moment on, and it's going to be fighting for each point."

(Editing by Ossian Shine)