Maria Sharapova with the Tokyo trophy. Photo via d.yimg.com

View full size photo »

Maria Sharapova won the Toray Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo in only seven games Saturday, after a wrist injury to Jelena Jankovic stopped the match before the end of the first set.  Sharapova was leading 5-2, 0-30* when Jankovic retired.  This was Sharapova's fourth title in Tokyo, by far the highest total of any active player.

It's a shame the match had to end so quickly and in that fashion, because it was shaping up to be a great one in the early goings.  Jankovic was counter-punching beautifully, keeping Sharapova uncomfortable and on the run on her way to going up an early break and a 2-0 lead.

But Sharapova found her way in through some tough holds and breaks, finding the range on her groundstrokes and hitting the ball hard and flat on the lines, out of the reach of even someone as quick as Jankovic.

And then after a medical timeout during the changeover, Jankovic abruptly retired two points into the eighth game of the set, leaving Sharapova looking bewildered and somewhat annoyed.  Jankovic hadn't been showing any visible signs of discomfort, but while Jankovic is known for some dubious injury timeouts, she's not a player with a reputation for questionable retirements. 

Once the shock wore off, Sharapova seemed genuinely thrilled to be leaving Japan with her first title of the year.  On the heels of a disappointing, sloppy summer, this Premiere 5-level win should give her a lot to feel good about going into the off-season.  Reverting to her old service motion paid huge dividends this week, as she was able to serve both powerfully and consistently for the first time since early 2008.  But how much more of full-range serving can her shoulder take? That's the factor that will determine Sharapova's chances of getting back into the elite echelons of the game in 2010.