LEAD: Azarenka wins Australian Open, takes number one ranking

By Bill Scott Jan 28, 2012, 10:15 GMT

Melbourne - Victoria Azarenka achieved a dream on Saturday as she defeated former champion Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-0 for the Australian Open title and took over the WTA number one ranking.

The third seed from Belarus denied the Russian her fourth Grand Slam title and second in Melbourne after a triumph in 2008.

Azarenka came back from a break down in the first set by winning 12 of the 13 remaining games for her first Grand Slam trophy to leave Sharapova 3-3 in major finals.

The rout in just under 90 minutes marked the third win in a final for Azarenka over Sharapova, with the 22-year-old taking the honours at Stanford in 2010, and Miami last spring.

The new rankings will feature Azarenka ahead of Czech Petra Kvitova, with Sharapova on third and former number one Caroline Wozniacki fourth.

Azaranka lost the first game of the match in one of her few mistakes of the evening. She broke Sharapova back to love in the fourth game, then ran away with the opening set in 45 minutes.

The second set continued in the same vein, with the third-seeded challenger going up two quick breaks as she thrived on the pace from Sharapova's returns in the battle of the sport's scream queens.

Azarenka's previous best at a Grand Slam was a Wimbledon semi-final in 2011; she now owns 10 career titles and remains undefeated this season after starting with a trophy in Sydney a fortnight ago.

The Belarus player won the junior title in Melbourne in 2005 and becomes only the third woman to back it up with the senior crown. The last two to do it were Chris O'Neil and Evonne Goolagong in the 1970s.

Azarenka won on the back of 30 unforced errors from Sharapova, with the Russian losing serve five times. Before the loss, Sharapova had dropped just two sets heading into the final.