Maria Sharapova recovered from a woeful start to overwhelm rising talent Simona Halep 1-6 6-2 6-3 in the final of the Madrid Open and claim her 31st career title on Sunday.
Russian Sharapova, a former world number one now ranked ninth, needed to draw on all her experience on the clay in the Spanish capital to see off the 22-year-old Romanian fourth seed, who was appearing in the final of a premier event for the first time.
Sharapova missed the second half of last season with a shoulder injury and has not been at her dominant best in 2014 but her form in Madrid suggests she may be a contender at the French Open which starts later this month.