Ambassador Sharapova

---

SECOND seed Maria Sharapova battled past world No 1 Lindsay Davenport to win the Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo.

On the sidelines, Sharapova also agreed to promote Moscow as the host city of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The Russian, who won her first WTA singles title at the event two years ago, came through 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-5).

Sharapova, 17, and last year's Wimbledon champion, needed four match points before clinching victory and denying Davenport a record fifth Tokyo title.

"Lindsay played amazingly and it came down to the tie- breaker, so obviously it was a tough match," said Sharapova.

"I believed in myself. Lindsay was serving so well. I just tried to hold my serve until what happened in the tie-breaker. It was very, very close.

"A good serve is very important, especially on this surface.

"If you can serve well it puts pressure on the other girl to hold her serve and if you can break her once and keep your serve, you have a better chance to win."

Davenport said: "Maria is a great player. I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of her in the final in the years to come."

The American had her leg heavily taped after straining her hamstring in practice and could barely run during a one-sided first set.

She went to the locker room for a medical time-out after the first set and then fought back, taking more risks as she attempted to keep the points short.

"In the first set I looked at my coach (Adam Peterson) and he told me to stop," said Davenport.

"I took the time-out to get more support for my leg but I realised at that point that it was going to hurt.

"I started to go for my shots but I didn't expect it to stay that close."

Meanwhile, Sharapova agreed to work as an ambassador in Moscow's attempt to host the 2012 Olympics. "For Moscow to host the Games would be a dream for me and millions of other Russians, and I am looking forward to helping explain why Moscow should host the Games," Sharapova has said. "Russia has a very strong history of sport and having the Olympic Games in Moscow in 2012 would be a new and brilliant chapter in that history."

"We are delighted that Maria Sharapova, a bright young sports star, has agreed to be an international ambassador for our bid," Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov said. "She is an example of the finest Russia has to offer the world, and she is the perfect symbol for Moscow's bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Moscow, Madrid, Paris, London and New York are all bidding to host the Summer Games. The cities must hone their sales pitch for IOC inspection visits this month and March, and then keep fingers crossed that things go their way in the final vote on 6 July.

Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympics.