Maria in Toronto

Maria Sharapova records her best result since returning to the tour in Warsaw in may this year, reaching her first WTA tour final since Amelia Island in 2008.

In the early rounds Maria dispatched her opponents with relative ease and by the quarters had started to exhibit some outstanding form and shot-making, however Maria's real test was to be the Final.

Maria faced Elena Dementieva also of Russia ( the 6th all Russian WTA final this year) in what proved to be a nervy match in tricky conditions, with both players struggling to hold serve in the opening set. It was Dementieva though that steeled herself to take the first set 6-4. Maria fought hard in the second and showed flashes of greatness but it wasn't to be. A somewhat fatigued and lackluster Maria (by her own standards) eventually folded 6-3, giving Elena her 3rd WTA title this year.

Maria's performance over all was encouraging and stands her on good grounds for the USOpen which starts on the 31st of August. Maria will be seeded as her world ranking jumps to #30 as of Monday 24th August. Maria is also placed #19 on the race to the Sony Ericsson Championships and finished a respectable #4 in the USOpen series after reaching the quarter's and semi's of Stanford and LA respectively before her Final appearance in Toronto.

Whether or not Maria can pose a real threat at this year's USOpen remains a question only she can answer, but if she can produce some of the stunning shot-making and serving she showed this week, there is every chance she will go far.